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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BHNRC) » Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center » Nutrient Data Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #202378

Title: Difference in Folate Content of Green and Red Sweet Peppers (Capsicum annuum)

Author
item PHILLIPS, KATHERINE - VPI
item RUGGIO, DAVID - VPI
item ASHRAF-KHORASSANI, MEHDI - VPI
item Haytowitz, David

Submitted to: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/24/2006
Publication Date: 12/27/2006
Citation: Phillips, K., Ruggio, D., Ashraf-Khorassani, M., Haytowitz, D.B. 2006. Difference in Folate Content of green and red sweet peppers (Capsicum annuum). Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 54(26):9998-10002.

Interpretive Summary: Folic acid (pteroylmonoglutamic acid) is used in enriched foods; however, very little folic acid occurs naturally in fruits and vegetables. For the USDA's National Food and Nutrient Analysis Program, a number of fruits and vegetables have been assayed for naturally occuring folates, using a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method, to evaluate the accuracy of existing data for total folate determined by standard microbiological analysis. Folate content of red and green sweet peppers (Capsicum annuum) differed notably (70.2 ug/100g and 20.7 ug/100g, respectively) and exceeded existing values determined by microbiological assay (18 ug/100g and 11 ug/100g, respectively). 5-methyltetrahydrofolate was the predominant vitamer, but a significant amount of 5-formyltetrahydrofolate and some 10-formylfolate were present. These findings may assist in making dietary recommendations or developing research diets related to folate. The data from this study have been used to update the folate values in release 19 of the USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference.

Technical Abstract: Folic acid (pteroylmonoglutamic acid) is used in enriched foods; however, very little folic acid occurs naturally in foods other than liver. For the USDA's National Food and Nutrient Analysis Program, a number of fruits and vegetables have been assayed for endogenous folates, using a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method, to evaluate the accuracy of existing data for total folate determined by standard microbiological analysis. Folate content of red and green sweet peppers (Capsicum annuum) differed notably (70.2 ug/100g and 20.7 ug/100g, respectively) and exceeded existing values determined by microbiological assay (18 ug/100g and 11 ug/100g, respectively). 5-methyltetrahydrofolate was the predominant vitamer, but a significant amount of 5-formyltetrahydrofolate and some 10-formylfolate were present. These findings may assist in making dietary recommendations or developing research diets related to folate. The data from this study have been used to update the folate values in release 19 of the USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference.