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Assays for carotenoids: linking breastmilk and maternal intakes

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Biomarkers in Nutrition

Abstract

Humans are not able to synthesize carotenoids and rely on their dietary intake mainly with vegetables and fruit, algae, and some animal products. The major dietary and plasma carotenoids are β-carotene, α-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, lycopene, and β-cryptoxanthin. Carotenoids are transferred to the mammary gland and breastmilk. Maternal dietary intake, geographical locations, age, nutritional status, premature birth, and circadian and within-feeding variations may affect breastmilk carotenoid levels. Those factors, especially circadian and within-feeding variations, should be included in studies assessing breastmilk carotenoids. During handling samples should be protected against oxygen, light, and temperature and stored in a −80 °C. The most recommended for the determination of carotenoids in breastmilk is a normal- or reversed-phase HPLC/UHPLC after specific sample preparation (saponification, hydrolyzation, and extraction). The most recommended method of nutritional data collection is at least a 3-day food record along with FFQ. Additionally, national databases of food carotenoids need to be developed to accurately estimate their intake.

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Abbreviations

α-CA:

α-carotene

α-CR:

α-cryptoxanthin

β-CA:

β-carotene

β-CR:

β-cryptoxanthin

BMI:

body mass index

CD36:

cluster of differentiation 36

FFQ:

food frequency questionnaire

HDL:

high-density lipoprotein

HPLC:

high-performance liquid chromatography

L:

lutein

L + Z:

lutein+zeaxanthin

LDL:

low-density lipoprotein

LY:

lycopene

NPC1L1:

Niemann-Pick C1-Like 1

NS:

nonsignificant

RAE:

retinol activity equivalents

SR-BI:

scavenger receptor class B type 1

UHPLC:

ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography

UPLC:

ultra-performance liquid chromatography

USDA:

United States Department of Agriculture

Z:

zeaxanthin

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Correspondence to Jadwiga Hamulka or Monika A. Zielinska-Pukos .

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Hamulka, J., Hallmann, E., Zielinska-Pukos, M.A. (2022). Assays for carotenoids: linking breastmilk and maternal intakes. In: Patel, V.B., Preedy, V.R. (eds) Biomarkers in Nutrition . Biomarkers in Disease: Methods, Discoveries and Applications. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-81304-8_16-2

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  1. Latest

    Assays for carotenoids: linking breastmilk and maternal intakes
    Published:
    29 June 2022

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-81304-8_16-2

  2. Original

    Assays for Carotenoids
    Published:
    08 June 2022

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-81304-8_16-1