Cited by 177Nutritional Studies and DietAntioxidant Activity and Oxidative StressPhytochemicals and Antioxidant Activities

Plasma carotenoids as biomarkers of intake of fruits and vegetables: individual-level correlations in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)

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Al-Delaimy, W K, Ferrari, P, Slimani, N, Pala, V, Johansson, I, Nilsson, S, Mattisson, I, Wirfalt, E +34 more·2005·European Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Abstract

Objective The aim in this study was to assess the association between individual plasma carotenoid levels (alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lycopene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lutein, zeaxanthin) and fruit and vegetable intakes recorded by a calibrated food questionnaire (FQ) and 24-h dietary recall records (24HDR) in nine different European countries with diverse populations and widely varying intakes of plant foods.Design A stratified random subsample of 3089 men and women from nine countries participating in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), who had provided blood samples and dietary and other lifestyle information between 1992 and 2000, were included.Results beta-Cryptoxanthin was most strongly correlated with total fruits (FQ r = 0.52, 24HDR r = 0.39), lycopene with tomato and tomato products (FQ r = 0.38, 24HDR r = 0.25), and alpha-carotene with intake of root vegetables (r = 0.39) and of total carrots (r = 0.38) for FQ only. Based on diet measured by FQ and adjusting for possible confounding by body mass index (BMI), age, gender, smoking status, alcohol intake, and energy intake, the strongest predictors of individual plasma carotenoid levels were fruits (R(partial)(2) = 17.2%) for beta-cryptoxanthin, total carrots ((partial)(2) = 13.4%) and root vegetables (R(partial)(2) = 13.3%) for alpha-carotene, and tomato products (R(partial)(2) = 13.8%) for lycopene. For 24HDR, the highest R(partial)(2) was for fruits in relation to beta-cryptoxanthin (7.9%).Conclusions Intakes of specific fruits and vegetables as measured by food questionnaires are good predictors of certain individual plasma carotenoid levels in our multicentre European study. At individual subject levels, FQ measurements of fruits, root vegetables and carrots, and tomato products are, respectively, good predictors of beta-cryptoxanthin, alpha-carotene, and lycopene in plasma.

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Crossref · 10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602252

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  • Proline betaine and lycopene are well-established biomarkers for citrus fruit and tomato products, respectively.

    “Proline betaine and lycopene are well-established biomarkers for citrus fruit and tomato products, respectively (44,45).”

    From The food metabolome: a window over dietary exposure (2014) · cites this paper as [45]

  • Vitamin C or the sum of carotenoids or flavonoids have been used as generic biomarkers for fruit and vegetable intake.

    “Vitamin C or the sum of carotenoids or flavonoids have been used as generic biomarkers for fruit and vegetable intake (18,45).”

    From The food metabolome: a window over dietary exposure (2014) · cites this paper as [45]

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Authors
Al-Delaimy, W. K., Ferrari, P., Slimani, N., Pala, V, Johansson, I., Nilsson, S., Mattisson, I., Wirfalt, E., Galasso, R., Palli, D., Vineis, P., Tumino, R., Dorronsoro, M., Pera, G., Ocké, M. C., Bueno-de-Mesquita, H. B., Overvad, K., Chirlaque, M., Trichopoulou, A., Naska, A., Tjønneland, A., Olsen, A., Lund, E., Alsaker, E. H. R., Barricarte, A., Kesse, E., Boutron-Ruault, M.-C., Clavel-Chapelon, F., Key, T. J., Spencer, E., Bingham, S., Welch, A. A., Sanchez-Perez, M.-J., Nagel, G., Linseisen, J., Quirós, J. R., Peeters, P. H. M., van Gils, C. H., Boeing, H., van Kappel, A. L., Steghens, J.-P., & Riboli, E.
Affiliations
  • Centre international de recherche sur le cancer (FR)
  • Umeå University (SE)
  • Lund University (SE)
  • Piedmont Reference Center for Epidemiology and Cancer Prevention (IT)
  • Institut Català d'Oncologia (ES)
  • National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (NL)
  • Aarhus University (DK)
  • National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (GR)
  • Danish Cancer Society (DK)
  • UiT The Arctic University of Norway (NO)
  • Instituto de Salud Pública de Navarra (ES)
  • Cancer Research UK (GB)
  • MRC Mitochondrial Biology Unit (GB)
  • University of Cambridge (GB)
  • Andalusian School of Public Health (ES)
  • German Cancer Research Center (DE)
  • University Medical Center Utrecht (NL)
  • German Institute of Human Nutrition (DE)
  • Hôpital Edouard Herriot (FR)
Venue
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Published
2005-09-14
Volume
59
Issue
12
Pages
1387-1396
ISSN
  • 0954-3007 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-5640
OpenAlex
W4256408613
Cited by
176
References
26
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 5
FWCI
8.39
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (publishedVersion)
  • Utrecht University Repository (Utrecht University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Lund University Publications (Lund University) (submittedVersion)
  • Rivm Repository (Netherlands National Institute for Public Health and the Environment) (submittedVersion)
  • UEA Digital Repository (University of East Anglia) (submittedVersion)
  • OPUS (Augsburg University) (submittedVersion)
  • University of Groningen research database (University of Groningen / Centre for Information Technology) (submittedVersion)
Funders
European Commission
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Nutritional Studies and Diet
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Biochemistry › Antioxidant Activity and Oxidative Stress
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Biochemistry › Phytochemicals and Antioxidant Activities
Keywords
plasma carotenoids, beta-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, dietary assessment, 24-hour dietary recall, tomato products, carrot, root vegetables, EPIC cohort

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