Effect of Crude Palm Oil Consumption on the Level of Plasma Beta-Carotene, Malondialdehyde and Xanthine Oxidase Activity of Blood Plasma and Product Acceptance by Low-Income Respondents at Dramaga and Babakan Village, District of Bogor

Abstract

Crude palm oil (CPO) is obtained from mesocarp extraction of palm fruit (Elaesis guineensis Jacq). CPO contains beta carotene around 400 – 1000 ppm. Beta carotene from CPO has some biological activities, such as vitamin A activity, protecting from UV rays, regulating immune function, controlling cell proliferation, and antioxidant activity. As an antioxidant, CPO can inhibit free radicals that cause lipid peroxidation, or anion superoxide production mediated by xanthine oxidase system. This research was a case study on SawitA program, that aimed to identify respondent acceptance of CPO as natural source of vitamin A. This research was intended to evaluate the effect of CPO consumption on the level of beta-carotene, malondialdehyde and xanthine oxidase activity in blood plasma. This study implicated 78 low-income respondents that were given about 140 ml CPO/week for 2 months, freely. Plasma blood from 22 healthy housewives respondents were analysed before and after consuming CPO. This study showed that daily consumption of approximately 2,94 ml CPO increased the level of plasma beta carotene from 1,907±1,006 to 1,965±0,762 μmol/l, reduced the level of malondialdehyde from 0,482±0,237 to 0,408±0,19 nmol/ml, but did not effect xanthine oxidase activity significantly. In addition, low-income respondents can accept CPO as a new product very well as part of their daily cooking oil.