Passionflower fruit-a 'new' source of lycopene?

摘要

Many population studies have established a link between dietary intake of the carotenoid antioxidant lycopene and a reduced risk of chronic diseases. Unlike most carotenoids, lycopene occurs in a few places in the diet. Besides tomatoes and tomato products, major sources of lycopene, other lycopene-rich foods include watermelon, pink grapefruit, pink guava, and papaya. Dried apricots and pureed rosehips contain relatively large amounts, too. In our study we found that passionflower fruit (skin and pericarp) contains a great amount of lycopene, whereas the content of other carotenoids is very low, and almost inexistent. This edible fruit could be an alternative source of a potential important nutrient for those people who do not eat tomatoes and tomato products.