Development of an Austrian Carotenoid Database

Due to the increasing interest in food carotenoids an Austrian Carotenoid Database was established. This study focused on two aspects: first, the establishment of a robust analysis method, and second, the sampling. The analysis method, was adapted from a standard procedure which was established during a European EC MAT project. To obtain a valuable average the sampling of the vegetables was done in three different climatic regions in Austria (north-east, south-east, west) in the years 1997 and 1998. The result of this study is a valuable database of the main carotenoids (lutein, zeaxanthin, β -cryptoxanthin, lycopene, α -carotene and β -carotene) in Austrian vegetables.