In vitro bioaccessibility of free and esterified carotenoids in cajá frozen pulp-based beverages

Cajá (Spondias mombin L.) fruit, native to Latin American tropical forests, is consumed either in natura or its pulp is used to prepare beverages. Aside from important physiological actions, carotenoids are responsible for the yellow skin and pulp color of cajá. As xanthophylls are often acylated to fatty acids in fruits, the native carotenoid composition of cajá frozen pulp and of its beverages was evaluated by high performance liquid chromatography coupled to diode array detector and tandem mass spectrometry. The main carotenoids in cajá frozen pulp were (all-E)-β-cryptoxanthin (6.5 μg g−1 fresh weight (fw)) and (all-E)-zeinoxanthin (3.5 μg g−1 fw); esters of lutein, β-cryptoxanthin and zeinoxanthin were also identified. As compounds need to be released from the matrix to be available for absorption, in vitro bioaccessibility of carotenoids in cajá water and milk based beverages was investigated. Addition of 7% sugar enhanced bioaccessibility to a similar extent of all carotenoids, in the order water > skimmed milk > whole milk based beverages. The increase in carotenoid bioaccessibility accompanied the increase in the lipid amount in milk used in beverages. Milk calcium did not affect carotenoid bioaccessibility while milk proteins were responsible for the four times increased bioaccessibility of carotenoids with free hydroxy group compared to those of carotenes and totally esterified xanthophylls.