. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2015 Jan 8.

Published in final edited form as: J Agric Food Chem. 2013 Dec 23;62(1):136–143. doi: 10.1021/jf403548w

Table 2. Composition of experimental feeds for study 2 designed in consultation with a nutritionist at the feed supplier (Harlan-Teklad, Madison, WI, USA) that were fed to Mongolian gerbils to determine vitamin A efficacy of high β-carotene carrot mixed with a variety of staple foods.

Ingredient	60% Potato	60% Rice	60% Banana^a	60% White Maize	Vitamin A-free^b

	g/kg feed
Component	600	600	600	600	---
Casein	146	149	172	140	200
L-Cystine	2.57	2.57	2.57	2.57	3
Sucrose	145	143	75.1	170	360.5
Maltodextrin	0	0	21.7	0	120
Corn starch	0	0	29.4	0	150
Cottonseed oil^c	55.6	53.7	48.5	36.5	60
Cellulose	0	0	0	0	60
Mineral Mix, AIN-93M-MX	34.6	34.6	34.6	34.6	35
Magnesium oxide	1.73	1.73	1.73	1.73	1.75
Calcium phosphate, dibasic	1.98	1.98	1.98	1.98	2
Vitamin Mix^d, w/o choline, A, D, E²	4.94	4.94	4.94	4.94	5
Vitamin E, DL-α-tocopheryl acetate	0.239	0.239	0.239	0.239	0.242
Vitamin D3, cholecalciferol	0.004	0.004	0.004	0.004	0.044
Choline bitartrate	0.004	0.004	0.004	0.004	2.5
Fiber	146	149	172	140	200

All banana was chopped, freeze-dried and ground.

Vitamin A-free feed was used for both the VA- diet and the 0.5% Carrot diet.

Fat content was equalized in the feeds as well as nitrogen and energy.

Vitamin mix provided the following, mg/kg purified diet: biotin, 0.4; calcium pantothenate,66.1; folic acid, 2; inositol, 110.1; menadione, 49.6; niacin, 99.1; p-aminobenzoic acid, 110.1; pyridoxine-HCl, 22; riboflavin, 22; thiamin-HCl, 22; vitamin B12 (0.1% in mannitol), 29.7; ascorbic acid (97.5%), 1016.6.