CAROTENOID COMPOSITION IN RAW AND COOKED SPANISH VEGETABLES

An HPLC study of 18 of the fresh vegetables (raw and cooked) most frequently consumed in Spain was done to determine their carotenoid composition. The results are grouped according to the color of the edible portion of each: green, red-orange, or yellowish-white vegetables. Beta-Carotene and lutein were found to be present in all of the vegetables analyzed except the sweet red pepper, which contains zeaxanthin but not lutein. Lutein and zeaxanthin are present in five of the vegetables analyzed, with the highest concentration of both of these components being found in spinach. In green and yellowish-white vegetables, lutein predominates over beta-carotene. Red-orange vegetables show a wider carotenoid profile, in which the lutein levels are surpassed by other carotenoids (e.g., lycopene in tomatoes, alpha- and beta-carotene in carrots). Boiling was not found to alter the carotenoid profile of the samples, but the amounts of carotenoids quantified were higher when compared to those in raw samples.