| Beta-carotene | |
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| IUPAC name | 1,3,3-trimethyl-2-[(1E,3E,5E,7E,9E,11E, 13E,15E,17E)-3,7,12,16-tetramethyl-18-(2, 6,6-trimethyl-1-cyclohexenyl)-octadeca- 1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15,17-nonaenyl]cyclohexene |
| Identifiers | |
| CAS number | [7235-40-7] |
| PubChem | |
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| Properties | |
| Molecular formula | C40H56 |
| Molar mass | 536.873 |
| Appearance | red-purple |
| Density | 0.941 ± 0.06 g/cm3 |
| Melting point |
180-182 |
| Solubility in water | insol in water, sol. in CHCl3 |
| Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa) Infobox references |
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Beta-carotene is an organic compound - a terpenoid, a red-orange pigment abundant in plants and fruits. As a carotene with β-rings at both ends, it is the most common form of carotene. It is a precursor (inactive form) of vitamin A.[1] Being highly conjugated, it is deeply colored, and as a hydrocarbon lacking functional groups, it is very lipophilic.
The structure was deduced by Karrer et al.[2] In nature, β-carotene is a precursor to vitamin A via the action of β-carotene dioxygenase. β-carotene is also the substance in carrots that colours them orange. β-Carotenoid is biosynthesized from geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate.[1]
Plant carotenoids are the primary dietary source of vitamin A worldwide. The most efficient pro-vitamin A carotenoid is beta-carotene, which is abundant in Vietnam Gac (Momordica Cochinchinensis Spreng), crude palm oil, yellow and orange fruits, such as mangoes, papayas, and yams and in green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, sweet potato leaves, and sweet gourd leaves. Vietnam gac and crude palm oil have by far the highest content of β-carotene of any known fruit or vegetable, 10 times higher than carrots for example. Unfortunately, Gac is quite rare and unknown outside its native region of SE Asia, and crude palm oil is typically processed to remove the cartenoids before sale to improve the color and clarity.
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