Development of a lutein-fortified sports beverage and lutein-fortified cupcakes, and bioavailability study to evaluate their capacity to increase lutein levels in human blood

The carotenoid lutein is a bioactive that protects the retina and supports brain health. However, lutein-rich foods such as leafy greens, maize and eggs are insufficiently consumed. We developed a lutein-fortified isotonic sports beverage (9.94 ± 0.17 mg lutein/500 mL) and cupcakes (10.57 ± 0.39 mg lutein/50 g) and conducted a 96-h, single-dose bioavailability study in two groups of healthy adults (younger adults: 29.00 ± 3.46 years; middle-aged adults: 53.00 ± 9.39 years, respectively) to assess the capacity of these foods to increase serum lutein levels. Lutein remained stable for two months in the refrigerated beverage and seven days in the refrigerated cupcakes. Consumption of 500 mL of beverage or a 50-g cupcake increased serum lutein area under the curve (ΔAUC(0–96 h)) by 956.9 ± 440.0 and 1257.6 ± 635.7 h·μg/L, respectively. These findings confirm that lutein-fortified foods offer a convenient and effective method to increase serum lutein levels.