Bioavailability of Oil-Based and beta-Lactoglobulin Complexed Vitamin A in A Rat Model
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2000-10-16
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Abstract
The goal of this research was to determine the bioavailability of a retinyl palmitate-β-lactoglobulin complex in fortified skim milk and non-milk liquids using a rat model. Vitamin A plays a crucial role in many biological functions such as vision, cell differentiation, gene expression, central nervous system development, bone development and immune system function. Fluid milk products have been fortified with vitamin A (along with Vitamin D) since the 1930s to reduce the incidence of disorders caused by fat-soluble vitamin deficiency in the USA. Low-fat and non-fat fluid milk products are fortified with vitamin A and other nutrients to restore that which is removed with the lipid phase. Vitamin A preparations for milk fortification have either oil-based carriers or water-based carriers. Although it was suggested that the oil-in-water emulsions are preferred rather than oil-based preparation, vitamin A- fortified milk is often unable to comply with nutrition labeling requirements. Because retinyl palmitate, a vitamin A form most used in food products, can bind with β-lactoglobulin, a major component of bovine whey, in a molar ratio of 2:1, we propose β-lactoglobulin could be a carrier to fortify skim milk with retinyl palmitate. The bioavailability of this vitamin A-β-lactoglobulin complex has not been tested yet so we designed and conducted experiments to test the bioavailability of this complex in the skim milk and water-based liquids.
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MS
Discipline
Nutrition
