Screening for Total Carotenoids and β-Carotene in Some Widely Consumed Vegetables in Nigeria

Ten different locally grown and widely consumed vegetables were selected for the screening of total carotenoids and a-carotene contents. The pigments were extracted by solvent extraction and the concentrations determined using UV-visible spectrophotometer. Carrot (Daucus carota) has the highest values of both the total carotenoids (397.8 ± 2.0 ìg/g) and a-carotene (203.0 ìg/g). Squash (C. moschata) has the lowest concentrations of total carotenoids (20.3 ± 2.0 ìg/g) while cabbage has the lowest a-carotene (24.41 ± 9.8 ìg/g). These vegetables, if properly processed, may serve as good sources of provitamin A in addition to other nutritional roles. The potentials of these vegetables as candidates for biofortification with a -carotene for the eradication of vitamin A deficiency were discussed.