Relationship between chlorophyll a and β-carotene in a lipid-containing model system during illumination

The relationship between chlorophyll a (Chl a) and β-carotene during illumination in the presence of fatty acid esters, methyl stearate methyl oleate and methyl linoleate was studied. Mixtures of Chl a, β-carotene and fatty acid esters were exposed to a 40 w light for 3 h. Isomerization and degradation reations of Chl a and β-carotene were monitored using HPLC with diode array detection Three isomers of Chl a and four cis isomers of β-carotene were separated and detected. Both the degradations of total amount of Chl a and β-carotene fit the first-order model. The degradation rate of total amount of β-carotene was highest in methyl stearate, followed by in methyl oleate and in methyl linoleate, while a reverse order was observed for the degradation rate of total amount of Chl a. In the presence of three fatty acid esters, Chl a is more susceptible to isomerization and degradation than β-carotene, and the degradation rates for both Chl a and β-carotene are significantly different (p < 0.05).