| |
| 1831 |
|
Wackenroder isolates the orange-yellow pigment in carrots and coins the
term 'carotene'.
|
| 1847 |
|
Zeise provides a more detailed description of carotene.
|
| 1866 |
|
Carotene is classified as a hydrocarbon by Arnaud and coworkers.
|
| 1887 |
|
Arnaud describes the widespread presence of carotenes in plants.
|
| 1907 |
|
Willstatter and Mieg establish the molecular formula for carotene, a molecule
consisting of 40 carbon and 56 hydrogen atoms.
|
| 1914 |
|
Palmer and Eckles discover the presence of carotene and xanthophylls in
human blood plasma.
|
| 1919 |
|
Steenbock (University of Wisconsin) suggests a relationship between yellow
plant pigments (beta-carotene) and vitamin A.
|
| 1929 |
|
Moore demonstrates that beta-carotene is converted into the colourless
form of vitamin A in the liver.
|
| 1931 |
|
Karrer and collaborators (Switzerland) determine the structures of beta-carotene
and vitamin A.
|
| 1939 |
|
Wagner and coworkers suggest that the conversion of beta- carotene into
vitamin A occurs within the intestinal mucosa.
|
| 1950 |
|
Isler and colleagues develop a method for synthesising beta-carotene.
|
| 1966 |
|
Beta-carotene is found acceptable for use in foods by the Joint FAO/WHO
Expert Committee on Food Additives.
|
| 1972 |
|
Specifications for beta-carotene use in foods is established by the U.S.
Food Chemicals Codex.
|
| 1979 |
|
Carotene is established as 'GRAS', which means that the ingredient is
'Generally Recognised As Safe' and can be used as a dietary supplement or
in food fortification.
|
| 1981-82 |
|
Beta-carotene/carotenoids are recognised as important factors (independent
of their provitamin A activity) in potentially reducing the risk of certain
cancers. R. Doll and R. Peto: “Can Dietary Beta-carotene Materially
Reduce Human Cancer Rates” (in: Nature, 1981; 290: 201-208) R. Shekelle
et al: “Dietary Vitamin A and Risk of Cancer in the Western Electric
Study” (in: Lancet, 1981: 1185-1190) “Diet, Nutrition and Cancer”
(1982): Review of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences showing that intake
of carotenoid-rich foods is associated with reduced risk of certain cancers.
1982 Krinsky and Deneke show the interaction between oxygen and oxyradicals
using carotenoids.
|
| 1983-84 |
|
The US National Cancer Institute (NCI) launches large-scale clinical intervention
trials using beta-carotene supplements alone and in combination with other
nutrients.
|
| 1984 |
|
Beta-carotene is demonstrated to be an effective antioxidant in vitro.
|
| 1988 |
|
Due to the large number of epidemiological studies that demonstrate the
potential reduction of cancer incidence with increased consumption of dietary
beta-carotene, the US National Cancer Institute (NCI) issues dietary guidelines
advising Americans to include a variety of vegetables and fruits in their
daily diet.
|
| 1993-94 |
|
Availability of results from several large-scale clinical intervention
trials using beta-carotene alone or in various other combinations.
|
| 1997 |
|
Evidence indicates that beta-carotene acts synergistically with vitamins
C and E.
|
| 1999 |
|
The Women´s Health Study shows no increased risk of lung cancer
for woman receiving 50 mg beta-carotene on alternate days.
|
| 2004 |
|
Results from the French SU.VI.MAX study indicate that a combination of
antioxidant vitamins (C, E and beta-carotene) and minerals lowers total
cancer incidence and all-cause mortality in men. |
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