Focus of Study: Carotenoid AbsorptionNCT01748916
Comparison of Carotenoid Bioavailability From Fresh Papaya, Tomato and Carrot
A study testing Papaya, Carrot and Tomato in people with Focus of Study: Carotenoid Absorption, run by Ohio State University at 2 sites in 2 countries.
Trial summary
The goal of this study is to determine if papaya fruits are an exceptionally good food source for carotenoids in humans, particularly when compared more common carotenoid sources like carrots and tomatoes. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 70 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Focus of Study: Carotenoid Absorption
- What is being tested?
- Papaya, Carrot and Tomato
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 16 participants
- Where
- 2 sitesin 2 countries
- Study dates
- Jun 2011to Nov 2011
- Phase
- Interventional
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 70 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- healthy individuals
Who cannot join
- lactating, pregnant, or planned to be pregnant
- smokers/those who use tobacco products
- metabolic or malabsorption disorders
- had a history of cancer
- history of liver insufficiency or other gastro-intestinal diseases
- allergy to papaya, carrots or tomatoes
- obesity
Trial locations and contacts
2 sites in 2 countries.
2 sites in 2 countries
About this study
Official title: Evaluation of the Effect of the Consumption of Papaya, Tomato, and Carrot on the Bioavailability of Carotenoids
The goal of this study is to determine if papaya fruits are an exceptionally good food source for carotenoids in humans, particularly when compared more common carotenoid sources like carrots and tomatoes. This objective will be accomplished by quantitation of the immediate post-prandial plasma concentrations of parent carotenoids and vitamin A metabolites from subjects who consumed a meal containing fresh papaya, tomato, and carrot.
Read the detailed description
The main purpose of this study is comparing bioavailability of papaya carotenoids versus carrot and tomato carotenoids. Previously, vitamin A deposition in rat livers was studied, showing that carotenoid bioavailability from papaya is higher than from spinach, parsley and carrots. Detailed knowledge about human carotenoid absorption and conversion from papaya fruit compared to other food sources is still lacking.
- Conditions
- Focus of Study: Carotenoid Absorption
- Being tested
- Papaya, Carrot, Tomato
- Keywords
- Papaya, Carrot, Tomato, Carotenoids, Lycopene, Beta-carotene, Beta-cryptoxanthin
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
PapayaOther
Post-prandial study feeding 400-506 g papaya (1.6 mg beta-carotene, 2.1 mg beta-cryptoxanthin, 13 mg lycopene), 150 g yogurt (10% fat), and 45 g of fat free bread.
CarrotOther
Post-prandial study feeding 25-35 g carrot (= 1.6 mg beta-carotene), 150 g yogurt (10% fat), and 45 g of fat free bread.
TomatoOther
Post-prandial study feeding 256-396 g tomato (= 13 mg lycopene), 150 g yogurt (10% fat), and 45 g of fat free bread.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Papaya-Carrot-Tomato | Experimental | Test meals were consumed in the following order: 1. Papaya 2. Carrot 3. Tomato. Receives: Other: Papaya; Other: Carrot; Other: Tomato |
| Papaya-Tomato-Carrot | Experimental | Test meals were consumed in the following order: 1. Papaya 2. Tomato 3. Carrot Receives: Other: Papaya; Other: Carrot; Other: Tomato |
| Tomato-Papaya-Carrot | Experimental | Test meals were consumed in the following order: 1. Tomato 2. Papaya 3. Carrot Receives: Other: Papaya; Other: Carrot; Other: Tomato |
| Tomato-Carrot-Papaya | Experimental | Test meals were consumed in the following order: 1. Tomato 2. Carrot 3. Papaya Receives: Other: Papaya; Other: Carrot; Other: Tomato |
| Carrot-Papaya-Tomato | Experimental | Test meals were consumed in the following order: 1. Carrot 2. Papaya 3. Tomato Receives: Other: Papaya; Other: Carrot; Other: Tomato |
| Carrot-Tomato-Papaya | Experimental | Test meals were consumed in the following order: 1. Carrot 2. Tomato 3. Papaya Receives: Other: Papaya; Other: Carrot; Other: Tomato |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Pharmacokinetics of Carotenoid Absorption From Papaya, Carrot and Tomato
The primary goal of this research is to investigate whether papaya can deliver increased quantities of carotenoids when compared to carrot and tomato. An area under the curve for concentration of carotenoids (from triglyceride rich lipoprotein (TRL) fraction of plasma) over time will be determined to quantify absorption, after subjects consume a meal containing papaya, carrot or tomato.
Measured: 8 post-prandial blood samples over 9.5 hours
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted13 Dec 2012 (estimated)
- Study startJun 2011
- Primary completionNov 2011
- Study completionNov 2011
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, outcome measures and adverse events reported by the sponsor.
- Other trials for Focus of Study: Carotenoid AbsorptionStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Ohio State UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 16 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Ohio State University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- University of Hohenheim, Universidad de Costa Rica
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Jessica Cooperstone, Ohio State University
- Investigators
- Steven J Schwartz, Ph.D., Principal investigator, Ohio State University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT01748916
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2011H0336
- Status last verified
- Oct 2025
- First submitted
- 3 Dec 2012
- Last updated
- 20 Oct 2025
- Results posted
- Yes, on ClinicalTrials.gov
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes