Serum alpha- and beta-carotene concentrations qualitatively respond to sustained carrot feeding

Beta-carotene is a predominant source of vitamin A in developing countries. Genetically selected "high carotene" carrots could have an impact on the vitamin A and antioxidant status of people if widely adopted. A 3 x 3 crossover study in humans (n = 10) evaluated the difference in uptake and clearance of alpha- and beta-carotene from carrots genetically selected and traditionally bred to have high, typical, or no carotene. Subjects were fed white (0 mg alpha- and beta-carotene/d), orange (1.8 mg alpha-carotene and 2.6 mg beta-carotene/d), or dark-orange (4 mg alpha-carotene and 7 mg beta-carotene/d) carrots in muffins for 11 d, with a 10-d washout phase between treatments. Serum carotenoid and retinol concentrations were measured by HPLC. C-reactive protein (CRP), an indicator of underlying inflammation or infection which may lower serum retinol, was measured at the beginning of each period. A significant treatment effect occurred for serum alpha- and beta-carotene concentrations (P < 0.001), and a trend towards a negative effect of subjects' BMI on concentrations (P= 0.08). A significant treatment by sequence interaction was observed (P = 0.038), which was attributable to a difference in serum alpha- and beta-carotene concentrations between carrot treatments in the first period. Serum retinol remained stable for the first 20 d of the intervention and then decreased (P = 0.02). CRP was not elevated in any subject. High carotene carrots provide more provitamin A carotenoids than the typical store-bought variety, without a change in flavor. The availability of high carotene carrots could readily increase consumption of beta-carotene and potentially impact the vitamin A status of those individuals who are deficient or at risk of depletion.