Varietal Differences in the Bioaccessibility of β-Carotene from Mango (Mangifera indica) and Papaya (Carica papaya) Fruits

Mango and papaya, which are rich sources of β-carotene, are widely consumed in India. In this study, β-carotene content and its bioaccessibility were determined in six locally available varieties of mango, namely, Badami, Raspuri, Mallika, Malgoa, Totapuri, and Neelam, and two varieties of papaya, namely, Honey Dew and Surya. Varietal differences were evident in both β-carotene content and its bioaccessibility in the case of mango. β-Carotene content in ripe mango ranged from 0.55 ± 0.03 mg/100 g in the Malgoa variety to 3.21 ± 0.25 mg/100 g in the Badami variety. Similarly, in the Honey Dew and Surya varieties of papaya, β-carotene contents were 0.70 ± 0.10 and 0.74 ± 0.12 mg/100 g, respectively. Bioaccessibility of β-carotene ranged from 24.5% in Badami to 39.1% in Raspuri varieties of mango. Considering both the percent bioaccessibility and the inherent β-carotene content, the amount of bioaccessible β-carotene was highest in the Mallika variety (0.89 mg/100 g), followed by Badami (0.79 mg/100 g). Because mango and papaya are also consumed as a blend with milk, the influence of the presence of milk on the bioaccessibility of β-carotene from these fruits was also examined. Addition of milk generally brought about a significant increase in the bioaccessibility of β-carotene from mango, the increase ranging from 12 to 56%. Bioaccessibility of β-carotene from the two varieties of papaya examined was similar (31.4-34.3%). Addition of milk increased this bioaccessibility by 19 and 38% in these two varieties. Considering the β-carotene content of mango and papaya, the latter has to be consumed in amounts roughly 3 times that of mango to derive the same amount of β-carotene. Thus, this study has indicated that varietal differences exist in the content and bioaccessibility of β-carotene in mango and that the addition of milk is advantageous in deriving this provitamin A from the fruit pulp of mango and papaya.