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Red palm oil as a source of β-carotene for combating vitamin A deficiency

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Abstract

Twenty four school children of 7–9 years of age were divided into two groups of six boys and six girls each. One group was given a daily supplement of ‘Suji halwa’, a sweet snack made with semolina and red palm oil, supplying 2400 µg of β-carotene and the second group was the control group which was given 600 µg of oral vitamin A palmitate, for 60 days. Vitamin A status before and after supplementation was assessed by the Modified Relative Dose Response Assay (MRDR). Results indicated that serum vitamin A levels increased from the basal level of 0.86±0.13 µmol/l to 1.89±0.23 µmol/l in the Red Palmoil (RPO) group and from 0.74±0.09 to 1.94±0.21 µmol/l in the control vitamin A group. Dehydroretinol/Retinol (DR/R) ratio decreased from 0.073±0.025 to 0.023±0.004 in the RPO group and from 0.090±0.023 to 0.023±0.004 in the vitamin A group, indicating liver saturation with vitamin A after feeding RPO snacks, comparable to synthetic vitamin A. This study indicates that RPO is an efficient source of β-carotene which is found to be bioavailable in all the subjects tested, hence it can be used for supplementary feeding programmes to combat vitamin A deficiency in target population.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Post Graduate and Research Centre, A.P. Agricultural University, 500 030, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, India

    R. Manorama

  2. National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, 500 007, Hyderabad, A.P., India

    G. N. V. Brahmam

  3. National Institute of Nutrition, No. 5, Presidential Drive, 11803, East Plain View, New York, USA

    C. Rukmini

Authors
  1. R. Manorama
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  2. G. N. V. Brahmam
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  3. C. Rukmini
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Manorama, R., Brahmam, G.N.V. & Rukmini, C. Red palm oil as a source of β-carotene for combating vitamin A deficiency. Plant Food Hum Nutr 49, 75–82 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01092524

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01092524

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