THE CORRELATION BETWEEN 2 DIETARY ASSESSMENTS OF CAROTENOID INTAKE AND PLASMA CAROTENOID CONCENTRATIONS - APPLICATION OF A CAROTENOID FOOD-COMPOSITION DATABASE

A newly available carotenoid food-composition database providing speci fic carotenoid values for > 2300 foods was linked to dietary data on 5 7 male nonsmokers to examine the association between dietary carotenoi d intake and plasma carotenoid concentrations over 3 wk when free-livi ng. Carotenoid intake was estimated from a food-frequency questionnair e (FFQ) and 7 d of food diaries with concurrent analysis of plasma car otenoid concentrations. After adjustment for energy intake, percentage of energy from alcohol, and plasma lipid concentrations, significant diet-plasma correlations for the FFQ and the food diaries (FD) include d alpha-carotene (r = 0.29 and 0.43), beta-carotene (r = 0.36 FFQ only ), beta-cryptoxanthin (r = 0.46 and 0.44), lutein (r = 0.44 FD only), and lycopene (r = 0.53 FD only). Dietary carotenoid intakes were assoc iated with plasma carotenoid concentrations for all the carotenoids ex cept for beta-carotene when food diaries were used whereas the diet-pl asma correlation for the provitamin A carotenoids were consistently si gnificant when the FFQ was used.