Total carotenoid and beta-carotene contents of forest green leafy vegetables consumed by tribals of south India

Seventy edible wild forest green leafy vegetables (GLV) collected and consumed by tribals of Andhra Pradesh, India were analyzed for total carotenoids (TC) and beta carotene (BC) contents using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The vitamin A activity expressed as retinol equivalents (RE) was calculated based on in vivo conversion factor given by WHO. The results of the study indicated that thirty-six GLV were found to have high vitamin A activity (0.87 to 2.34 RE) with TC and BC contents ranging from 12.22 to 36.13 and 5.21 to 14.05 mg %, respectively; thirty GLV had moderate vitamin A activity (0.36-0.8 RE) with TC and BC contents ranging from 10.60 to 31.33 and 2.19 to 4.78 mg %. Four GLV contained low vitamin A activity (0.07-0.32 RE); - TC and BC contents ranging from 5.12 to 13.13 and 0.40 to 1.94, respectively. The percent beta carotene in total carotenoids among the three groups of the GLV varied from 19.41 to 73.02, 11.11 to 46.21 and 5.98 to 37.11, respectively.