Product Name: β-Carotene

Category: Nutraceutical

CAS. No.: 7235-40-7

β-Carotene is  chemically classified as a hydrocarbon and specifically as a terpenoid (isoprenoid), reflecting its derivation from isoprene units. β-Carotene is biosynthesized from geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate. It is a member of the carotenes, which aretetraterpenes, synthesized biochemically from eight isoprene units and thus having 40 carbons. Among this general class of carotenes, β-carotene is distinguished by having beta-rings at both ends of the molecule. Absorption of β-carotene is enhanced if eaten with fats, as carotenes are fat soluble.

Carotene is the substance in carrots, pumpkins and sweet potatoes that colors them orange and is the most common form of carotene in plants. In nature, β-carotene is a precursor (inactive form) to vitamin A .Isolation of β-carotene from fruits abundant in carotenoids is commonly done using columnchromatography. β-Carotene is a non-polar compound, so it is separated with a non-polar solvent such as hexane. Being highly conjugated, it is deeply colored, and as ahydrocarbon lacking functional groups, it is very lipophilic.

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