Effect of Maturity on Carotenoid Content of Some Commonly Consumed Foods

Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) being a siient, unseen threat which if untreated can eventually lead to blindness in children and also affects their immune potentials. As a short-term measure, periodic administration of large doses of vitamin A has been suggested to reduce the serious consequences of VAD. In India, the prevalence of Bitot spots declined from 1.8 per cent in 1970 to 0.8 per cent in 2002 and further decreased to 0.7 per cent in 2007 and severe forms of keratomalacia and blindness have almost disappeared. Epidemiological evidence indicated that VAD even at sub-clinical level is associated with increased risk of morbidity/mortality in children and the focus has been shifted from xerophthalmia to systemic effects. Hence the present agenda is virtual elimination of VAD and all its consequences. In this direction our earlier efforts as a long-term food based strategy have generated database for β-carotene content and identified rich sources in commonly consumed Indian foods.