Retinol equivalence of carotenoids can be evaluated by hepatic vitamin A content

The present study demonstrates a new method to evaluate the bioavailability of carotenoids based on the calculation of the hepatic retinol contents, W eaning male rats Of Wistar Strain were divided into 5 groups: Each group re spectively received retinol acetate (2000-10000 IU per kg diet), alpha-caro tene (2400-6000 mu g per kg diet), beta-carotene (2400-6000 mu g per kg die t) mixture of alpha- and beta-carotenes in the ratio Of 1:2 (2400 and 4800 mu g per kg dit), and palm-carotene oil (2400-6000 mu g per kg diet), The d erived retinol equivalences Of each carotenoid calculated according to the hepatic retinol contents Were almost Constant regardless Of the volume Of r espective intake (alpha-carotene: 1.25 mu g per IU; beta-carotene: 0.59 mu g per IU; mixture of alpha- and beta-carotene in the ratio of 1:2: 0.96 mu g per IU; Palm-carotene Oil: 1.23 mu g per IU). The results suggest that th e hepatic retinol contents can be used as a new measure to evaluate the vit amin A bioavailability Of carotenoids.