HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Vuong, L. T Articles by Murphy, S. P Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Vuong, L. T Articles by Murphy, S. P Agricola Articles by Vuong, L. T Articles by Murphy, S. P

Plasma ß-carotene and retinol concentrations of children increase after a 30-d supplementation with the fruit Momordica cochinchinensis (gac)^1,2,3

¹ From the Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis (LTV and SRD), and the Cancer Research Center of Hawaii, University of Hawaii, Honolulu (SPM).

Background: In rural Vietnam, vitamin A deficiency is a concern. Among the indigenous fruit and vegetables, Momordica cochinchinensis (gac) fruit has been identified as having the highest ß-carotene concentration. Locally, it is mixed with rice in a preparation called xoi gac.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess this ß-carotene– rich rice preparation as a source of provitamin A for children in rural Vietnam.

Design: Preschoolers (n = 185) participated in a 30-d controlled supplementation trial. Children with low hemoglobin concentrations were assigned to 1 of 3 groups: a fruit group, who received xoi gac that contained 3.5 mg ß-carotene per serving; a powder group, who received rice mixed with 5.0 mg synthetic ß-carotene powder; and a control group, who received rice without fortification.

Results: The mean increase in plasma ß-carotene concentrations in the fruit and powder groups was significantly greater than that in the control group (P < 0.0001). After supplementation, the mean plasma retinol concentration in the fruit group was significantly higher than that in the control (P = 0.006) and powder (P = 0.0053) groups. Among the children with initial hemoglobin concentrations 110 g/L, the mean increase in hemoglobin concentrations in the fruit group was marginally higher than that in the control group (P = 0.017) but was not significantly different from that in the powder group.

Conclusions: ß-Carotene from xoi gac is a good source of provitamin A carotenoids. Severely anemic children might particularly benefit from routine xoi gac consumption

Key Words: ß-Carotene • carotene-rich food • lycopene • retinol • preschoolers • vitamin A • vitamin A deficiency • food-based approach • ß-carotene supplementation • Momordica cochinchinensis • xoi gac • Vietnam

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. L. Failla, C. Chitchumroonchokchai, and B. K. Ishida In Vitro Micellarization and Intestinal Cell Uptake of cis Isomers of Lycopene Exceed Those of All-trans Lycopene J. Nutr., March 1, 2008; 138(3): 482 - 486. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]