A comparison of lycopene and astaxanthin absorption from corn oil and olive oil emulsions

The effect of different oils on the absorption of carotenoids was investiga ted in mesenteric lymph duct cannulated rats. Sixteen treatment emulsions c ontaining increasing concentrations of either lycopene (LYC) or astaxanthin (AST) (5, 10, 15, 20 mu mol/L) were prepared with olive oil or corn oil an d continuously infused into the duodenum of the rat. Absorption of caroteno ids into the mesenteric lymph duct was determined. Absorption of LYC and AS T from both oils increased with the amount infused into the duodenum. The a verage recovery of AST in the lymph from the olive oil emulsion was 20% but was decreased to 13% from emulsions containing corn oil. Lycopene was not as well absorbed as AST. The average recovery of LYC was 6% from olive oil emulsions but only 2.5% when infused with corn oil. The LYC used in this st udy was isolated from tomato paste and was primarily in the all-trans form. We did not observe any significant isomerization of all-trans LYC to 9-cis LYC during absorption, We conclude that the type of oil with which a carot enoid is consumed can influence its absorption.