Postprandial evolution of the carotenoid content in the triacylglycerol-rich lipoprotein fraction after a single ingestion of virgin olive oil in humans

Carotenoids bioavailability in humans is highly influenced by several factors, including presence and kind of fat that is ingested in the daily diet. This trial was focussed on those two driving factors of carotenoid absorption, analysing the postprandial carotenoid evolution in 12 healthy volunteers supplied with a fundamental edible component of the Mediterranean diet: virgin olive oil. This is a fat with a balanced triacylglycerol composition containing concurrently carotenoids like β-carotene and lutein, which provide a functional feature in the human organism. The achieved results showed two different responses in the controlled volunteers: five of them increase, significantly, their carotenoid level in the triacylglycerol-rich lipoprotein fraction while the remaining did not accumulate any of the supplied carotenoids at detectable amounts. A different carotenoid metabolism was observed in the first group as only lutein (a nonprovitamin A carotenoid) increased its concentration in the lipoprotein fraction. The kind of fat supplied together with vitamin A status and antioxidant content of the individuals could explain the different responses.