Bioavailability and bioconversion of carotenoids.

Factors that influence the bioavailability of carotenoids and their bioconversion to retinol are species of carotenoids, molecular linkage, amount of carotenoids consumed in a meal, matrix in which the carotenoid is incorporated, effectors of absorption and bioconversion, nutrient status of the host, genetic factors, host related factors, and mathematical interactions. In this paper, current knowledge of these factors is examined. Although data are not sufficiently comparable to allow an extensive systematic comparison of results, a number of conclusions can be drawn from the information available.