Now we know why carrots are orange

Scientists unveiled Monday the gene in carrots that gives rise to carotenoids, a critical source of Vitamin A and the pigment that turns some fruits and vegetables bright orange or red.

A better understanding of bananas could help prevent blindness

Carotenoids, which are found at various levels in different banana cultivars, are important vitamin precursors for eye health. In a study published in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, researchers report a ...

Neolithic skeleton reveals early history of rickets

Rickets has been identified in a Neolithic skeleton from the Scottish island of Tiree, making it the earliest case of the disease in the UK, according to research announced at the British Science Festival in Bradford.

Fortified against blindness

Vitamin A deficiency is the leading cause of preventable blindness in children. It also increases the risk of disease and death from severe infections, according to the World Health Organization. About 250 million preschool ...

Scientists find key to vitamin A metabolism

Researchers at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine have uncovered the mechanism that enables the enzyme Lecithin: retinol acyltransferase (LRAT) to store vitamin A—a process that is indispensable for vision.

Beta-carotene bioavailability of orange-fleshed honeydew

Eating fruits and vegetables is not often thought of as a "treatment." But according to researchers, there are more than 100 million people worldwide who have vitamin A deficiency, and for some of them, consuming fruits and ...

Rabbits kept indoors could be vitamin D deficient

Rabbits that remain indoors may suffer from a lack of vitamin D, researchers report in a new study. In rabbits kept as pets or used in laboratory studies, the deficiency could lead to dental problems, undermine their cardiovascular ...

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