Carotenoid composition and vitamin A value of an Argentinian squash (Cucurbita moschata)

English. The carotenoid composition of butternut squash (Cucurbita moschata) cultivated in the province of Santiago del Estero, Argentina, was determined. The main carotenoids isolated were identified as beta -carotene (beta ,beta -carotene), alpha -carotene (beta ,epsilon -carotene), and lutein (beta ,epsilon -carotene-3,3’-diol) and the minor carotenoids, as phytofluene (7,8,11,12,7’,8’-hexahydro-psi ,psi -carotene), zeta -carotene (7,8,7’,8’-tetrahydro-psi ,psi -carotene), neurosporene (7,8-dihydro-psi ,psi -carotene), violaxanthin (5,6,5’,6’-diepoxy-5,6,5’,6’-tetrahydro-???-carotene-3,3’-diol) and neoxanthin (5,6-epoxy-6,7-didehydro-5,6,5’,6’-tetrahydro-beta ,beta -carotene-3,5,3’-triol). In some samples, 5,6,5’,6’-beta -carotene diepoxide, (5,6,5’,6’-diepoxy-5,6,5’,6’-tetrahydro-beta ,beta -carotene) and flavoxanthin (5,8-epoxy-5,8-dihydro-beta ,epsilon -?carotene-3,3'-diol) were detected. The presence of cis-isomers of -beta ,beta -carotene was also detected by HPLC. The vitamin A value obtained was 432 ?g RE/ 100g fresh sample, which indicates that this vegetable is an important source of provitamin A

Spanish; Castilian. Composición de carotenoides y valor de vitamina a de una calabaza argentina (Cucurbita moschata). Se determinó la composición de carotenoides de un tipo de calabaza (Cucurbita moschata), conocida como "anco coreano" cultivada en la provincia de Santiago del Estero, Argentina. Los principales carotenoides aislados fueron identificados como mayoritarios, beta -caroteno (beta ,beta -caroteno), alfa -caroteno (beta ,épsilon -caroteno), luteína (beta ,épsilon -caroteno-3,3’-diol) y como minoritarios, fitoflueno (7,8,11,12,7’,8’-hexahidro-psi ,psi -caroteno), zeta -caroteno (7,8-7’,8’-tetrahidro-psi ,psi -caroteno), neurosporeno (7,8-dihidro-psi ,psi -caroteno), violaxantina (5,6,5’,6’-diepoxi-5,6,5’,6’-tetrahidro-beta ,beta -caroteno-3,3’-diol) y neoxantina (5’,6’-epoxi-6,7-didehidro-5,6,5’,6’-tetrahidro-beta ,beta -caroteno-3,5,3’-triol). En algunas muestras fueron detectados beta -caroteno 5,6,5’,6’-diepóxido (5,6,5’,6’-diepoxi-5,6,5’,6’-tetrahidro-beta ,beta -caroteno) y flavoxantina (5,8-epoxi-5,8-dihidro-?,?-caroteno-3,3'-diol). También fue detectada por HPLC la presencia de isómeros cis de beta ,beta -caroteno. El valor de vitamina A obtenido fue 432 my g RE/ 100g de muestra fresca, lo cual indica que este vegetal es una fuente importante de provitamina A