β-carotene (2)

10881979093?profile=RESIZE_400x

Carotenoids play an important role in the stability, freshness, and nutritional value of extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO). However, the carotenoid content in EVOO changes over time as a function of olive ripening and degradation. A reliable quality marker is the ratio between the two most abundant carotenoids, namely lutein and β-carotene, since the second degrades more rapidly. This paper presents a reliable method to assess the lutein/β-carotene ratio in EVOO using a single Raman spectrum.  Resonant Raman spectroscopy is a rapid and non-destructive technique, widely applied for food chemical characterisation.. It is a novel approach for this application and offers the prospect of on-site screening of EVOO quality and authenticity, especially if implemented as a portable system.

Read the abstract here

Read more…

10479317261?profile=RESIZE_400x Given the price differential between goat milk and cow milk, methods to determine goat milk adulteration are important. Chinese researchers developed methodology to determine β-carotene and its metabolites based on various spectroscopic techniques combined with an extraction method using a cold-induced acetonitrile aqueous two-phase separation system in order to weaken the interaction between β-lactoglobulin and β-carotene metabolites. Validation showed that β-carotene is distinctive biomarker in cow milk, and retinol, retinaldehyde, retinoic acid and abscisic acid in goat milk.  

Read the abstract here

Read more…