Carotenoids may help to prevent the ageing of the brain. Previous findings regarding β-carotene alone are not consistent. In the present study, we evaluated the cross-time association between a carotenoid-rich dietary pattern (CDP) and subsequent cognitive performance using a sample of 2983 middle-aged adults participating in the SU.VI.MAX (Supplémentation en Vitamines et Minéraux Antioxydants) study. Cognitive performance was assessed in 2007–9 using six neuropsychological tests, and a composite cognitive score was computed. The cognitive data were related to dietary data obtained by repeated 24 h dietary records (1994–6) and to measurements of baseline plasma concentrations of carotenoids (lutein, zeaxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, α-carotene, trans-β-carotene and cis-β-carotene). DP were extracted using the reduced rank regression method for 381 participants and then extrapolated to the whole sample using plasma carotenoid concentrations as response variables. Associations between a CDP and cognitive function measured 13 years later were estimated with ANCOVA providing mean difference values and 95 % CI across the tertiles of CDP. A correlation between CDP and consumption of orange- and green-coloured fruits and vegetables, vegetable oils and soup was observed. CDP was found to be associated with a higher composite cognitive score (mean difference 1·04, 95 % CI 0·20, 1·87, P for trend 0·02), after adjustment for sociodemographic, lifestyle and health factors. Similar findings were obtained for scores obtained in the cued recall task, backward digit span task, trail making test and semantic fluency task (all P for trend < 0·05). Further studies ought to confirm whether a diet providing sufficient quantity and variety of coloured fruits and vegetables may contribute to the preservation of cognitive function during ageing.

The present study investigated the effects of xanthophyll supplementation on production performance, antioxidant capacity (measured by glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), and reduced glutathione:oxidised glutathione ratio (GSH:GSSG)) and lipid peroxidation (measured by malondialdehyde (MDA)) in breeding hens and chicks. In Expt 1, 432 hens were fed diets supplemented with 0 (control group), 20 or 40 mg xanthophyll/kg diet. Blood samples were taken at 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35 d of the trial. Liver and jejunal mucosa were sampled at 35 d. Both xanthophyll groups improved serum SOD at 21 and 28 d, serum T-AOC at 21 d and liver T-AOC, and serum GSH:GSSG at 21, 28 and 35 d and liver GSH:GSSG. Xanthophylls also decreased serum MDA at 21 d in hens. Expt 2 was a 2 × 2 factorial design. Male chicks hatched from 0 or 40 mg in ovo xanthophyll/kg diet of hens were fed a diet containing either 0 or 40 mg xanthophyll/kg diet. Liver samples were collected at 0, 7, 14 and 21 d after hatching. Blood samples were also collected at 21 d. In ovo-deposited xanthophylls increased antioxidant capacity and decreased MDA in the liver mainly within 1 week after hatching. Maternal effects gradually vanished during 1–2 weeks after hatching. Dietary xanthophylls increased antioxidant capacity and decreased MDA in the liver and serum mainly from 2 weeks onwards. Data suggested that xanthophyll supplementation enhanced antioxidant capacity and reduced lipid peroxidation in different tissues of hens and chicks.

The present study investigated the effects of xanthophylls (containing 40 % of lutein and 60 % of zeaxanthin) on proinflammatory cytokine (IL-1β, IL-6, interferon (IFN)-γ and lipopolysaccharide-induced TNF-α factor (LITAF)) and anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-4 and IL-10) expression of breeding hens and chicks. In Expt 1, a total of 432 hens were fed diets supplemented with 0 (as the control group), 20 or 40 mg/kg xanthophylls (six replicates per treatment). The liver, duodenum, jejunum and ileum were sampled at 35 d of the trial. The results showed that both levels of xanthophyll addition decreased IL-1β mRNA in the liver and jejunum, IL-6 mRNA in the liver, IFN-γ mRNA in the jejunum and LITAF mRNA in the liver compared to the control group. Expt 2 was a 2 × 2 factorial design. Male chicks hatched from 0 or 40 mg/kg xanthophyll diet of hens were fed a diet containing either 0 or 40 mg/kg xanthophylls. The liver, duodenum, jejunum and ileum were collected at 0, 7, 14 and 21 d after hatching. The results showed that in ovo xanthophylls decreased proinflammatory cytokine expression (IL-1β, IL-6, IFN-γ and LITAF) in the liver, duodenum, jejunum and ileum and increased anti-inflammatory cytokine expression (IL-4 and IL-10) in the liver, jejunum and ileum mainly at 0–7 d after hatching. In ovo effects gradually vanished and dietary effects began to work during 1–2 weeks after hatching. Dietary xanthophylls modulated proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6 and IFN-γ) in the liver, duodenum, jejunum and ileum and anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-10) in the liver and jejunum mainly from 2 weeks onwards. In conclusion, xanthophylls could regulate proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine expression in different tissues of hens and chicks.

Introduction. Among the citrus species, C. sinensis hasbeen the most studied given its importance in terms of production and its industrialapplication in juices. Some of orange juice's organoleptic and functional properties,which make it an attractive product for the consumer, are due to its carotenoidcomposition. Xanthophylls can be found in either their free form (as the carotenes arefound) or in a more stable fatty acid esterified form in the case of mono- andpolyhydroxylated xanthophylls. Detection of adulteration of orange juices is of concern toconsumers, regulatory agencies and citrus processing industries, and the study ofcarotenoid ester composition has been proposed to evaluate fruit products' authenticity.In this study, we report on the native (carotenoid esters and free carotenoids) carotenoidprofile of orange juices of eight different varieties. Materials and methods.Monovarietal fresh orange juices were obtained from squeezing mid-season oranges(Citrus sinensis varieties: Bionda, Brasiliana, Moro, Ovale,Sanguinello, Tarocco, Valence and Washington) cultivated and supplied by a local producer.After the extraction of the carotenoids from the samples, the analyses were carried out byHPLC-DAD-APCI-MS. Results and discussion. The results showed that, in the juices studied, the xanthophyllswere mostly esterified (93% of the total carotenoid mean content). The different varietiesinvestigated showed variations in their carotenoid contents. The total carotenoid contentsranged from 2.42 µg·g–1 in the Washington variety to 15.8 µg·g–1 inthe Valencia variety. Among the monoesters, the Valencia variety showed the highestviolaxanthin ester amounts (61%), the Brasiliana variety showed the highestβ-cryptoxanthin ester content (86.9%) and the Tarocco variety had the highest luteoxanthinester amount (75.7%). Moreover, in general, in the Brasiliana, Ovale, Sanguinello,Valencia and Washington varieties, the monoester contents were higher than the diesters,whereas in the Bionda, Moro and Tarocco varieties the opposite was determined. To the bestof our knowledge, this is the first time that this analytical approach has been applied tocharacterising, both qualitatively and quantitatively, the whole carotenoid pattern(carotenoid esters and free carotenoids) in orange juices from the Bionda , Brasiliana,Moro, Ovale, Sanguinello, Tarocco, Valence and Washington varieties. This contributioncould also be used to establish authenticity markers among orange varieties that couldpotentially be used to prevent adulteration.

An experiment was carried out in open-top chambers located in eastern Spain. One-yr-old Pinus halepensis Mill. seedlings were exposed during three consecutive summers to the following ozone (O3) treatments: charcoal-filtered air (CFA), non-filtered air (NFA) or non-filtered air plus 40 nl l−1 O3, 9 h d−1, 5 d wk−1 (NFA+40). Seasonal variations in Aleppo pine performance were observed since reductions in chlorophyll and cellular peroxidase levels associated with increases in superoxide dismutase activity, were recorded during the summer. Similarly, a reduction in epoxidation state was found at midday during the summer, derived from an activation of the xanthophyll cycle associated to an increment in radiation and temperature levels.

The first O3-induced effects were recorded in previous-year needles (1991) during the first summer exposure as an increase in extracellular and total peroxidase activities and in zeaxanthin levels in the NFA+40 treatment along with a trend to a higher SOD activity in this treatment. A carry-over effect was detected since a lower winter recovery of chlorophyll levels was found in the NFA+40 seedlings along with a reduction of xanthophyll levels. A reduction in chlorophyll levels was observed in the previous-year needles (1992) from the NFA+40 treatment at the end of the second fumigation period. Realistic ozone exposures induced alterations in plant antioxidative systems and plant pigments as shown in this paper. These observations together with the reductions in stomatal conductance and net photosynthesis recorded in the same experiment, indicate that Aleppo pine is a species sensitive to ozone.