抄録
Beta-cryptoxanthin (β-CRX) is a carotenoid pigment found in peach, papaya, and citrus fruits such as orange and tangerine. It is also found, especially, in Satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu Marc.), which is heavily produced in Japan and is mainly harvested from October to February. In this study, we investigated the relationship of serum concentration of β-CRX to the frequency of Satsuma mandarin consumption using 94 healthy nonsmoking female volunteers. In September, when Satsuma mandarin is not in season, even though the volunteers had not eaten citrus fruits or processed food including citrus for a two-month period, the serum concentration of β-CRX in the participants who ate more than four Satsuma mandarins daily was high enough to be statistically significant compared with the participants who rarely ate any (p < 0.05). Furthermore, when the Satsuma mandarin was in season in January, the serum concentration of β-CRX increased remarkably depending on the frequency of Satsuma mandarin consumption. These results suggest that β-CRX is stored in some tissues for several months and that it is a useful biomarker for estimating the frequency of Satsuma mandarin consumption.
