Phylloquinone (K) absorption was assessed in 22- to 30-y-old human subjects consuming a standard test meal [402 kcal (1682 kJ), 27% energy from fat]. The absorption of phylloquinone, measured over a 9-h period as the area under the curve (AUC), was higher (P < 0.01) after the consumption of a 500- microgram phylloquinone tablet [27.55 +/- 10.08 nmol/(L. h), n = 8] than after the ingestion of 495 microgram phylloquinone as 150 g of raw spinach [4.79 +/- 1.11 nmol/(L. h), n = 3]. Less phylloquinone (P < 0.05) was absorbed from 50 g of spinach (AUC = 2.49 +/- 1.11 nmol/(L. h) than from 150 g of spinach. Absorption of phylloquinone from fresh spinach (165 microgram K), fresh broccoli (184 microgram K) and fresh romaine lettuce (179 microgram K) did not differ. There was no difference in phylloquinone absorption from fresh or cooked broccoli or from fresh romaine lettuce consumed with a meal containing 30 or 45% energy as fat.