ARS | Publication request: VITAMIN AND MINERAL CONTENT OF HAWAII’S PAPAYA CULTIVARS

Submitted to: Hawaii Papaya Industry Association
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: September 12, 2005
Publication Date: September 27, 2006
Citation: Wall, M.M. 2006. Vitamin and mineral content of Hawaii’s papaya cultivars. Proc. 41st Annual Hawaii Papaya Industry Assoc. Conf. pp. 7-17.

Technical Abstract: Papaya (Carica papaya) cultivars were harvested from different locations throughout Hawaii and analyzed for vitamin C (ascorbic acid), provitamin A ( '-carotene, '-carotene, '-cryptoxanthin), and mineral composition. Papaya mean vitamin C content was 51.2 mg/100g, with no significant differences among cultivars. An adult female could meet the dietary reference intake (DRI) for vitamin C by consuming about three-quarters (~150 g) of a medium papaya fruit. The provitamin A content for papayas averaged 44.1 'g RAE/100 g, and ranged from 18.7 to 74.0 'g RAE/100 g. Lycopene was not detected in the yellow-fleshed cultivars, Kapoho, Laie Gold, and Rainbow, but the red-fleshed Sunrise and SunUp had 1350 to 3674 'g lycopene per 100 g. Papayas (100 g) contained 9% of the DRI for Cu, 6-8% of the DRI for Mg, but less than 3% of the DRI for most other minerals.