Carotenoids are important micronutrients and their specific health benefits have been associated with the consumption of food products rich in carotenoids such as fruits and vegetables， as well as their bioavailability. However， given their specific cellular location， form of existence and high hydrophobic character， the uptake of carotenoids from food products is generally quite low. The present review summarizes recent studies on fruits and vegetables in which specific product characteristics， i.e. form of existence，（micro） structure characteristics and the presence or addition of lipids， are linked to carotenoid bioavailability. The review could provide the basis for a critical and detailed identification of parameters or conditions that are crucial in the development of fruit- and vegetable-based food products containing higher amounts of carotenoids in an absorbable form， as well as corresponding processing procedure. Additionally， future research challenges of carotenoid bioavailability in this context are identified.