Carotenoid profile of tomato sauces: effect of cooking time and content of extra virgin olive oil

• Published in: International journal of molecular sciences Vol. 16; no. 5; pp. 9588 - 9599
• Main Authors: Vallverdú-Queralt, Anna, Regueiro, Jorge, de Alvarenga, José Fernando Rinaldi, Torrado, Xavier, Lamuela-Raventos, Rosa M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 28-04-2015; MDPI
• Subjects: antioxidant capacity; Antioxidants; Antioxidants - chemistry; beta Carotene - analysis; C30 column; Carotenoids - analysis; Carotenoids - chemistry; Chromatography, Liquid; Cooking; Food Analysis - methods; LC-ESI-MS/MS; LC-UV; Life Sciences; Lipid Peroxidation; Lycopene; Olive Oil - chemistry; Solanum lycopersicum - chemistry; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization; Tandem Mass Spectrometry; Tomatoes; Ultraviolet Rays; Vegetable oils; Vegetable Products - analysis; α-carotene; β-carotene; α-carotene; lycopene; antioxidant capacity; LC-UV; β-carotene; LC-ESI-MS/MS; C30 column
• ISSN: 1422-0067; 1661-6596; 1422-0067
• DOI: 10.3390/ijms16059588

The consumption of carotenoid-rich vegetables such as tomatoes and tomato sauces is associated with reduced risk of several chronic diseases. The predominant carotenoids in tomato products are in the (all-E) configuration, but (Z) isomers can be formed during thermal processing. The effect of cooking time (15, 30, 45 and 60 min) and the addition of extra virgin olive oil (5% and 10%) on the carotenoid extractability of tomato sauces was monitored using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) and LC-ultraviolet detection (LC-UV). The thermal treatment and the addition of extra virgin olive oil increased the levels of antioxidant activity, total carotenoids, Z-lycopene isomers, α-carotene and β-carotene. These results are of particular nutritional benefit since higher lycopene intake has been associated with a reduced risk of lethal prostate and a reduction of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels. Moreover, β-carotene has been reported to suppress the up-regulation of heme oxygenase-1 gene expression in a dose dependent manner and to suppress UVA-induced HO-1 gene expression in cultured FEK4.