There is some evidence that
carotenoids added to foods may be more bioavailable than their
natural sources. For instance, some carotenoids, like lycopene
can form crystalline aggregates in chromoplasts of plants cells
(Shi and Le Maguer, 2000), which may lower their solubility
and bioavalibility. Heat processing and the presence of lipids in
the food matrix has been shown to improve the bioavalibility
and trans-cis isomerization of beta-carotene and lycopene-rich
foods, as would be expected because carotenoids are lipophilic
and heat can induce isomerization