Palm Beach, FL 2/7/12 (StreetBeat) -- Plandaí Biotechnology, Inc. (OTCBB: PLPL) Chief Executive Officer, Roger Duffield, today announced the results of using the Plandaíproprietary method for increasing bioavailability in carotenoids. According to the study, conducted by Dr. Betty Ishisa, and published in "Food Chemistry 132 (2012) 1156-1160," the levels of extractable lycopene and other carotenoids increased significantly when processed by Plandaí's proprietary method.Dr. Betty Ishida is a research biologist and formerly the lead scientist of a research project on "Enhanced Production of High-Value Carotenoids in Tomato" in the Process Chemistry and Engineering Research Unit at the USDA-ARS Western Regional Research Center in Albany, California. Dr. Ishida evaluated the results of treating whole tomatoes with the Plandaí method, which was initiated with the purpose of increasing accessibility of beneficial, nutrition-enhancing fruit and vegetable products. Tomatoes, a major dietary source of carotenoids, notably lycopene, were investigated because of their many health benefits to consumers. Samples before and after treatment were compared for lycopene, phytoene, and phytofluene content.
Nutritional studies on humans and animal models show that consumption of lycopene-containing foods, such as tomatoes, increases the plasma levels of lycopene, which has been associated with increased protection against cancers of the prostate, lung, and stomach, cardiovascular disease, and common eye diseases such as cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. Eating a diet that is enriched in vegetables and fruits would greatly benefit the health of populations; however, many people do not consume tomatoes regularly, or do not have access to fresh or processed tomato products.
In nature, lycopene exists almost exclusively as an all-trans stereoisomer. Cis-lycopene isomers form during cooking and digestion, resulting in higher bioavailability in plasma and tissues. The increased bioavailability is what scientists believe enhances the beneficial health effects of lycopene and other phytonutrients. Extraction using this proprietary method increased cis-lycopene to as high as 43% of the total lycopene, indicating increased isomerization. Because lycopene has been implicated as a protective agent against degenerative diseases caused by the action of free radicals produced in the body by metabolic reactions and exposure to ultraviolet light from the sun, it is of high commercial interest.
Dr. Ishida's findings are very encouraging to Plandaí, which is evaluating the commercial potential of extracting carotenoids from tomatoes, and adding them to a health-promoting tomato extract that is high in cis-lycopene. The Plandaí product would be more bioavailable and effective than current purified lycopene products and extracts, generating superior health benefits at a lower cost.
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