Conboy Stephenson Ruth, Ross R Paul, Stanton Catherine
Vistamilk/Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, P61 C996 Cork, Ireland.
APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 YT20 Cork, Ireland.
Foods. 2021 Jun 2;10(6):1263. doi: 10.3390/foods10061263.
Carotenoids are a family of over 1100 known natural pigments synthesized by plants, algae, fungi and bacteria. Dietary intake of carotenoids is necessary for mammals as they cannot be synthesized in the body. In cows, the nature of the diet consumed strongly influences the composition of milk produced and this includes carotenoid concentration and profile. Fresh forage is the richest source of carotenoids for cows. The main carotenoids identified in forages are lutein, β-carotene, zeaxanthin and epilutein. Manipulating cow feed via carotenoid supplementation increases the carotenoid content of bovine milk. In humans, carotenoids have anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and provitamin A activity. Lutein is a major carotenoid in human milk and the brain tissue of adults and infants. Lutein and zeaxanthin are linked to improved eye health and cognitive function. Traditionally for humans, fruit and vegetables have been the main source of carotenoid intake. Functional foods present an opportunity to incorporate these naturally occurring compounds into milk products for added health benefits, widening the range of dietary sources of carotenoids. We offer an overview of the literature to date on carotenoid-fortified dairy products and infant formula. This review will describe and summarize the key mechanisms by which the carotenoid profile of bovine milk can be manipulated. We present findings on the origin and role of carotenoids in bovine and human milk, outline factors that impact the carotenoid content of milk, evaluate carotenoid-fortified milk products and discuss the associated challenges, such as bioaccessibility and stability.
类胡萝卜素是由植物、藻类、真菌和细菌合成的1100多种已知天然色素的家族。哺乳动物必须通过饮食摄入类胡萝卜素，因为它们无法在体内合成。对于奶牛来说，所食用日粮的性质会强烈影响所产牛奶的成分，这包括类胡萝卜素的浓度和种类。新鲜草料是奶牛类胡萝卜素最丰富的来源。草料中鉴定出的主要类胡萝卜素是叶黄素、β-胡萝卜素、玉米黄质和表叶黄素。通过补充类胡萝卜素对奶牛饲料进行调控可提高牛乳中的类胡萝卜素含量。在人类中，类胡萝卜素具有抗氧化、抗炎和维生素A原活性。叶黄素是母乳以及成人和婴儿脑组织中的主要类胡萝卜素。叶黄素和玉米黄质与改善眼部健康和认知功能有关。传统上，对人类来说，水果和蔬菜一直是类胡萝卜素摄入的主要来源。功能性食品提供了一个机会，可将这些天然存在的化合物添加到乳制品中以增加健康益处，从而扩大类胡萝卜素的膳食来源范围。我们概述了迄今为止关于类胡萝卜素强化乳制品和婴儿配方奶粉的文献。本综述将描述和总结调控牛乳类胡萝卜素种类的关键机制。我们展示了关于类胡萝卜素在牛乳和人乳中的来源及作用的研究结果，概述了影响牛奶类胡萝卜素含量的因素，评估了类胡萝卜素强化乳制品，并讨论了相关挑战，如生物可及性和稳定性。
