Beta carotene
β-carotene is a strong red-orange pigment. It is to be found predominantly in plants and fruit and is contributing to orange color of various kinds of fruits and vegetables – the most prominent example is the carrot.
Plant carotenoids are the primary dietary source of pro-vitamin, and are absorbed in the small intestine. The efficiency of absorption is estimated at 9-22 %, depending on the form of β-carotene (cooked or raw vegetable, in extras), input of fat and oil at the same time, current level of vitamin A and β – carotene.
Particularly rich sources of β-carotene are raw palm oil, yellow and orange fruits like mango and papaya, orange root vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, zucchini and green leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale. Interestingly, the crude palm oil has 10 times higher content of β-carotene than carrots. Beta carotene is an important vitamin supplement and natural dye.
CAS: 7235-40-7 Molecular formula: C40H56 Molecular mass: 536,87 g mol−1
