Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effect of domestic cooking on human bioavailability of naringenin, chlorogenic acid, lycopene and β-carotene in cherry tomatoes

  • ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTION
  • Published:
European Journal of Nutrition Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Background

Epidemiological data showed that tomato and tomato product (sauce, paste) consumption is associated with a protective effect against the development of some chronic-degenerative diseases. Tomato antioxidant bioactive molecules such as carotenoids and polyphenols could be responsible, at least in part, for the healthy effect observed. The bioavailability of these compounds is an essential requirement to sustain their in vivo role. While it is well known that many factors can influence the bioaccessibility of carotenoids from the food matrix, there is little information about the factors affecting phenolic compounds’ bioaccessibility.

Aim of the study

This investigation was carried out to evaluate the effect of domestic cooking on the bioavailability in humans of antioxidant molecules after the administration of a test meal containing cherry tomatoes.

Methods

A cross-over design was conducted. Subjects (3 females and 2 males) consumed experimental meals containing fresh and cooked cherry tomatoes. Blood collection was performed at different time intervals (0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 24 h).

Results

Carotenoid and phenol plasma concentrations were measured. Plasma levels of lycopene and β-carotene were not significantly different with respect to the baseline after ingestion of both the test meals, while plasma concentrations of naringenin and chlorogenic acid increased significantly with respect to the baseline (P<0.05) after administration of cooked cherry tomatoes, but not after administration of fresh cherry tomatoes.

Conclusions

The present study indicated that domestically cooked tomatoes significantly increase naringenin and chlorogenic acid plasma levels. Considering that both naringenin and chlorogenic acid are widely studied for their potential healthy properties, evidence of their bioavailability and of the factors influencing their bioaccessibility is an important tool to sustain the possibility that these polyphenols play a biological role in human physiology.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Ferro-Luzzi A, Cialfa E, Leclercq C, Toti E (1994) The mediterranean diet revisited. Focus on fruit and vegetables. Inter J Food Sci Nutr 45:1–9

    Google Scholar 

  2. Siviero P, Saccani G, Macchiavelli L (1999) Il pomodoro Cherry cresce in Sicilia. Inf Agrario 20:37–43

    Google Scholar 

  3. Leonardi C, Gennaro L, Raffo A (2000) Pomodoro ciliegia. In: Prodotti Ortofrutticoli Tipici del Meridione Italiano: Caratterizzazione Agronomica e Nutrizionale. Agricoltura e Ricerca 185:37–43

    Google Scholar 

  4. Giovannucci E (1999) Tomatoes, tomato-based products, lycopene and cancer: review of the epidemiological literature. Nat Cancer Inst 91:317–331

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Davies JN, Graeme EH (1981) The constituents of tomato fruit the influence of environment, nutrition, and genotype. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 15:205–280

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Rice-Evans CA, Sampson J, Bramley PM, Holloway DE (1997) Why do we expect carotenoids to be antioxidants in vivo? Free Rad Res 26:381–398

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Clinton SK (1998) Lycopene: chemistry, biology, and implications for human health and disease. Nutr Rev 56:35–51

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Duthie GC, Duthie SJ, Kyle JAM (2000) Plant polyphenols in cancer and heart disease: implications as nutritional antioxidants. Nutr Res Rev 13:79–106

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Rice-Evans C, Miller NJ, Paganga G (1996) Structure-antioxidant activity relationships of flavonoids and phenolic acids. Free Rad Biol Med 20:933–956

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Clifford MN (2000) Chlorogenic acid and other cinnamates—nature, occurrence, dietary burden, absorption and metabolism. J Sci Food Agr 80:1033–1043

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Erdman J, Bierer TL, Gugger ET (1993) Absorption and transport of carotenoids. In: Canfield LM, Krinsky NI, Olson JA (eds) Carotenoids in human health. Ann NY Acad Sci 691:76–85

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Gartner C, Stahl H, Sies H (1997) Lycopene is more bioavailable from tomato paste than from fresh tomatoes. Am J Clin Nutr 66:116–122

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Stahl W, Sies H (1992) Uptake of lycopene and its geometrical isomers is greater from heat-processed than from unprocessed tomato juice in humans. J Nutr 122:2161–2166

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. McAnlis GT, McEneny J, Pearce J, Young IS (1999) Absorption and antioxidant effect of quercetin from onions, in man. Eur J Clin Nutr 53:92–96

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Hollman PCH, Gaag MVD, Mengelers MJB, Van Trijp JMP, De Vries JHM, Katan MB (1996) Absorption and disposition kinetics of the dietary antioxidant quercetin in man. Free Rad Biol Med 21:703–707

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. National Institute for Food and Nutrition Research (INRAN) (2000) Food Composition Table. Rome, EDRA-Medical Publishing New Media

  17. Bugianesi R, Catasta G, Spigno P, D’Uva A, Maiani G (2002) Naringenin from cooked tomato paste is bioavailable in men. J Nutr 132:3349–3352

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. van Het Hof KH, De Boer BCJ, Tijburg LBM, Lucius BRHM, Zijp I, West CE, Hautvast JGAJ, Weststrate JA (2000) Carotenoid bioavailability in humans from tomatoes processed in different ways determined from the carotenoid response in the triglyceride-rich lipoprotein fraction of plasma after a single consumption and in plasma after four days of consumption. J Nutr 130:1189–1196

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Porrini M, Riso P, Testolin G (1998) Absorption of lycopene from single or daily portions of raw and processed tomato. Br J Nutr 80:353–361

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Sharpless KA, Arce-Osuna M, Thomas JB, Gill ML (1999) Value assignment of retinol, retinyl palmitate, tocopherol, and carotenoid concentrations in standard reference material 2383 (baby food composite). J AOAC inter 82:288–296

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Hertog MGL, Hollman CH, Venema DP (1992) Optimization of a quantitative HPLC determination of potentially anticarcinogenic flavonoids in vegetables and fruits. J Agric Food Chem 40:1591–1598

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Maiani G, Pappalardo G, Ferro-Luzzi A, Raguzzini A, Azzini E, Guadalaxara A Trifero M, Frommel T, Mobarhan S (1995) Accumulation of β-carotene in normal colorectal mucosa and colonic neoplastic lesions in humans. Nutr Cancer 24:23–31

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Stahl W, Sies H (1996) Lycopene: a biological important carotenoid for humans? Arch Biochem Biophys 336:1–9

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Romieu I, Stampfer MJ, Stryker WS, Hernandez M, Kaplan L, Sober A, Rosner B, Willett WC (1990) Food predictors of plasma beta-carotene and alphatocopherol: validation of a food frequency questionnaire. Am J Epidemiol 131:864–876

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. van Vliet T, Schreurs WHP, van den Berg H (1995) Intestinal β-carotene absorption and cleavage in men: response of β-carotene and retinyl esters in the triglyceride-rich lipoprotein fraction after a single oral dose of β-carotene. Am J Clin Nutr 62:110–116

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Brown ED, Micozzi MS, Craft NE (1989) Plasma carotenoids in normal men after a single ingestion of vegetables or purified β-carotene. Am J Clin Nutr 49:1258–1265

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Johnson EJ, Russel RM (1992) Distribution of orally administered β-carotene among lipoproteins in healthy men. Am J Clin Nutr 56:128–135

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Laguna L, Casado CG, Heredia A (1999) Flavonoid biosynthesis in tomato fruit cuticles after in vivo incorporation of 3H-phenylalanine precursor. Physiol Plant 105:491–498

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Plumb GW, Garcia-Conesa MT, Kroon PA, Williamson G (1999) Metabolism of chlorogenic acid by human plasma, liver, intestine and gut microflora. J Sci Food Agric 79:390–392

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Olthof MR, Hollman PCH, Katan MB (2001) Chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid are absorbed in humans. J Nutr 131:66–71

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Chesson A, Provenza F, Russel WR, Scollard DJ, Richart C, Stewart C (1999) Hydroxycinnamic acids in the digestive tract of livestock and humans. J Sci Food Agric 79:373–378

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Camarasa J, Escubedo E, Adzet T (1988) Pharmacokinetics of caffeic acid in rats by a high-performance liquid chromatography method. J Pharm Biomed Anal 6:503–510

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Booth AN, Emerson OH, Jones FT, Deeds F (1957) Urinary metabolites of caffeic acid and chlorogenic acids. J Biol Chem 229:51–59

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Cheng F, Breen K (2000) On the ability of four flavonoids, baicilein, luteolin, naringenin and quercetin, to suppress the Fenton reaction of the iron ATP complex. Bio Met 13:77–83

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Van Acker FAA, Schouten O, Haenen GR, van der Vijgh WJF, Bast A (2000) Flavonoids can replace α-tocopherol as an antioxidant. FEBS 473:145–148

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Ruh MF, Zacharewsky T, Connor K, Howell J, Chen I, Safe S (1995) Naringenin: a weakly estrogenic bioflavonoid that exhibits antiestrogenic activity. Biochem Pharmacol 50:1485–1493

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Antioxidant Research Laboratory, Unit of Human Nutrition, I. N. R. A. N., Rome, Italy

    R. Bugianesi, M. Salucci, G. Catasta, E. Azzini & G. Maiani

  2. Dept. of Agriculture Chemistry & Biology, University of Reggio Calabria “Mediterranea”, Reggio Calabria, Italy

    C. Leonardi

  3. Dept. of Food Science, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy

    R. Ferracane

  4. I. N. R. A. N., National Institute for Food and Nutrition Research, Via Ardeatina, 546, 00178, Rome, Italy

    R. Bugianesi

Authors
  1. R. Bugianesi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. M. Salucci
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. C. Leonardi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. R. Ferracane
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. G. Catasta
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. E. Azzini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. G. Maiani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to R. Bugianesi.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bugianesi, R., Salucci, M., Leonardi, C. et al. Effect of domestic cooking on human bioavailability of naringenin, chlorogenic acid, lycopene and β-carotene in cherry tomatoes. Eur J Nutr 43, 360–366 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-004-0483-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-004-0483-1

Key words

Search

Navigation