Carotene

Last updated
A 3-dimensional stick diagram of b-carotene BetaCarotene-3d.png
A 3-dimensional stick diagram of β-carotene
Carotene is responsible for the orange colour of carrots and the colours of many other fruits and vegetables and even some animals. CarrotDiversityLg.jpg
Carotene is responsible for the orange colour of carrots and the colours of many other fruits and vegetables and even some animals.
Lesser Flamingos in the Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania. The pink colour of wild flamingos is due to astaxanthin (a carotenoid) they absorb from their diet of brine shrimp. If fed a carotene-free diet they become white. Lesser-flamingos.jpg
Lesser Flamingos in the Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania. The pink colour of wild flamingos is due to astaxanthin (a carotenoid) they absorb from their diet of brine shrimp. If fed a carotene-free diet they become white.

The term carotene (also carotin, from the Latin carota, "carrot" [1] [2] ) is used for many related unsaturated hydrocarbon substances having the formula C40Hx, which are synthesized by plants but in general cannot be made by animals (with the exception of some aphids and spider mites which acquired the synthesizing genes from fungi). [3] Carotenes are photosynthetic pigments important for photosynthesis. Carotenes contain no oxygen atoms. They absorb ultraviolet, violet, and blue light and scatter orange or red light, and (in low concentrations) yellow light.

Contents

Carotenes are responsible for the orange colour of the carrot, after which this class of chemicals is named, and for the colours of many other fruits, vegetables and fungi (for example, sweet potatoes, chanterelle and orange cantaloupe melon). Carotenes are also responsible for the orange (but not all of the yellow) colours in dry foliage. They also (in lower concentrations) impart the yellow coloration to milk-fat and butter. Omnivorous animal species which are relatively poor converters of coloured dietary carotenoids to colourless retinoids, such as humans and chickens, have yellow-coloured body fat, as a result of the carotenoid retention from the vegetable portion of their diet.

Carotenes contribute to photosynthesis by transmitting the light energy they absorb to chlorophyll. They also protect plant tissues by helping to absorb the energy from singlet oxygen, an excited form of the oxygen molecule O2 which is formed during photosynthesis.

β-Carotene is composed of two retinyl groups, and is broken down in the mucosa of the human small intestine by β-carotene 15,15'-monooxygenase to retinal, a form of vitamin A. β-Carotene can be stored in the liver and body fat and converted to retinal as needed, thus making it a form of vitamin A for humans and some other mammals. The carotenes α-carotene and γ-carotene, due to their single retinyl group (β-ionone ring), also have some vitamin A activity (though less than β-carotene), as does the xanthophyll carotenoid β-cryptoxanthin. All other carotenoids, including lycopene, have no beta-ring and thus no vitamin A activity (although they may have antioxidant activity and thus biological activity in other ways).

Animal species differ greatly in their ability to convert retinyl (beta-ionone) containing carotenoids to retinals. Carnivores in general are poor converters of dietary ionone-containing carotenoids. Pure carnivores such as ferrets lack β-carotene 15,15'-monooxygenase and cannot convert any carotenoids to retinals at all (resulting in carotenes not being a form of vitamin A for this species); while cats can convert a trace of β-carotene to retinol, although the amount is totally insufficient for meeting their daily retinol needs. [4]

Molecular structure

Carotenes are polyunsaturated hydrocarbons containing 40 carbon atoms per molecule, variable numbers of hydrogen atoms, and no other elements. Some carotenes are terminated by rings, on one or both ends of the molecule. All are coloured, due to the presence of conjugated double bonds. Carotenes are tetraterpenes, meaning that they are derived from eight 5-carbon isoprene units (or four 10-carbon terpene units).

Carotenes are found in plants in two primary forms designated by characters from the Greek alphabet: alpha-carotene (α-carotene) and beta-carotene (β-carotene). Gamma-, delta-, epsilon-, and zeta-carotene (γ, δ, ε, and ζ-carotene) also exist. Since they are hydrocarbons, and therefore contain no oxygen, carotenes are fat-soluble and insoluble in water (in contrast with other carotenoids, the xanthophylls, which contain oxygen and thus are less chemically hydrophobic).

History

The discovery of carotene from carrot juice is credited to Heinrich Wilhelm Ferdinand Wackenroder, a finding made during a search for antihelminthics, which he published in 1831. He obtained it in small ruby-red flakes soluble in ether, which when dissolved in fats gave "a beautiful yellow colour". William Christopher Zeise recognised its hydrocarbon nature in 1847, but his analyses gave him a composition of C5H8. It was Léon-Albert Arnaud in 1886 who confirmed its hydrocarbon nature and gave the formula C26H38, which is close to the theoretical composition of C40H56. Adolf Lieben in studies, also published in 1886, of the colouring matter in corpora lutea, first came across carotenoids in animal tissue, but did not recognise the nature of the pigment. Johann Ludwig Wilhelm Thudichum, in 1868–1869, after stereoscopic spectral examination, applied the term 'luteine' (lutein) to this class of yellow crystallizable substances found in animals and plants. Richard Martin Willstätter, who gained the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1915, mainly for his work on chlorophyll, assigned the composition of C40H56, distinguishing it from the similar but oxygenated xanthophyll, C40H56O2. With Heinrich Escher, in 1910, lycopene was isolated from tomatoes and shown to be an isomer of carotene. Later work by Escher also differentiated the 'luteal' pigments in egg yolk from that of the carotenes in cow corpus luteum. [5]

Dietary sources

The following foods contain carotenes in notable amounts: [6]

Absorption from these foods is enhanced if eaten with fats, as carotenes are fat soluble, and if the food is cooked for a few minutes until the plant cell wall splits and the color is released into any liquid. [6] 12 μg of dietary β-carotene supplies the equivalent of 1 μg of retinol, and 24 μg of α-carotene or β-cryptoxanthin provides the equivalent of 1 μg of retinol. [6] [8]

Forms of carotene

a-carotene Alpha-carotene.svg
α-carotene
b-carotene Beta-Carotin.svg
β-carotene
g-carotene Gamma-carotene.svg
γ-carotene
d-carotene Delta-carotene.svg
δ-carotene

The two primary isomers of carotene, α-carotene and β-carotene, differ in the position of a double bond (and thus a hydrogen) in the cyclic group at one end (the right end in the diagram at right).

β-Carotene is the more common form and can be found in yellow, orange, and green leafy fruits and vegetables. As a rule of thumb, the greater the intensity of the orange colour of the fruit or vegetable, the more β-carotene it contains.

Carotene protects plant cells against the destructive effects of ultraviolet light so β-carotene is an antioxidant.

β-Carotene and physiology

β-Carotene and cancer

An article on the American Cancer Society says that The Cancer Research Campaign has called for warning labels on β-carotene supplements to caution smokers that such supplements may increase the risk of lung cancer. [11]

The New England Journal of Medicine published an article [12] in 1994 about a trial which examined the relationship between daily supplementation of β-carotene and vitamin E (α-tocopherol) and the incidence of lung cancer. The study was done using supplements and researchers were aware of the epidemiological correlation between carotenoid-rich fruits and vegetables and lower lung cancer rates. The research concluded that no reduction in lung cancer was found in the participants using these supplements, and furthermore, these supplements may, in fact, have harmful effects.

The Journal of the National Cancer Institute and The New England Journal of Medicine published articles in 1996 [13] [14] about a trial with a goal to determine if vitamin A (in the form of retinyl palmitate) and β-carotene (at about 30 mg/day, which is 10 times the Reference Daily Intake) supplements had any beneficial effects to prevent cancer. The results indicated an increased risk of lung and prostate cancers for the participants who consumed the β-carotene supplement and who had lung irritation from smoking or asbestos exposure, causing the trial to be stopped early. [14]

A review of all randomized controlled trials in the scientific literature by the Cochrane Collaboration published in JAMA in 2007 found that synthetic β-carotene increased mortality by 1–8% (Relative Risk 1.05, 95% confidence interval 1.01–1.08). [15] However, this meta-analysis included two large studies of smokers, so it is not clear that the results apply to the general population. [16] The review only studied the influence of synthetic antioxidants and the results should not be translated to potential effects of fruits and vegetables.

β-Carotene and photosensitivity

Oral β-carotene is prescribed to people suffering from erythropoietic protoporphyria. It provides them some relief from photosensitivity. [17]

Carotenemia

Carotenemia or hypercarotenemia is excess carotene, but unlike excess vitamin A, carotene is non-toxic. Although hypercarotenemia is not particularly dangerous, it can lead to an oranging of the skin (carotenodermia), but not the conjunctiva of eyes (thus easily distinguishing it visually from jaundice). It is most commonly associated with consumption of an abundance of carrots, but it also can be a medical sign of more dangerous conditions.

Production

Algae farm ponds in Whyalla, South Australia, used to produce b-carotene Algaefarm.jpg
Algae farm ponds in Whyalla, South Australia, used to produce β-carotene

Carotenes are produced in a general manner for other terpenoids and terpenes, i.e. by coupling, cyclization, and oxygenation reactions of isoprene derivatives. Lycopene is the key precursor to carotenoids. It is formed by coupling of geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate and geranyllinally pyrophosphate. [18]

Most of the world's synthetic supply of carotene comes from a manufacturing complex located in Freeport, Texas and owned by DSM. The other major supplier BASF also uses a chemical process to produce β-carotene. Together these suppliers account for about 85% of the β-carotene on the market. [19] In Spain Vitatene produces natural β-carotene from fungus Blakeslea trispora , as does DSM but at much lower amount when compared to its synthetic β-carotene operation. In Australia, organic β-carotene is produced by Aquacarotene Limited from dried marine algae Dunaliella salina grown in harvesting ponds situated in Karratha, Western Australia. BASF Australia is also producing β-carotene from microalgae grown in two sites in Australia that are the world's largest algae farms. In Portugal, the industrial biotechnology company Biotrend is producing natural all-trans-β-carotene from a non-genetically modified bacteria of the genus Sphingomonas isolated from soil.

Carotenes are also found in palm oil, corn, and in the milk of dairy cows, [20] causing cow's milk to be light yellow, depending on the feed of the cattle, and the amount of fat in the milk (high-fat milks, such as those produced by Guernsey cows, tend to be yellower because their fat content causes them to contain more carotene).

Carotenes are also found in some species of termites, where they apparently have been picked up from the diet of the insects. [21]

Synthesis

There are currently two commonly used methods of total synthesis of β-carotene. The first was developed by BASF and is based on the Wittig reaction with Wittig himself as patent holder: [22] [23]

Wittig-9.svg

The second is a Grignard reaction, [24] elaborated by Hoffman-La Roche from the original synthesis of Inhoffen et al. They are both symmetrical; the BASF synthesis is C20 + C20, and the Hoffman-La Roche synthesis is C19 + C2 + C19.

Nomenclature

Carotenes are carotenoids containing no oxygen. Carotenoids containing some oxygen are known as xanthophylls.

The two ends of the β-carotene molecule are structurally identical, and are called β-rings. Specifically, the group of nine carbon atoms at each end form a β-ring.

The α-carotene molecule has a β-ring at one end; the other end is called an ε-ring. There is no such thing as an "α-ring".

These and similar names for the ends of the carotenoid molecules form the basis of a systematic naming scheme, according to which:

ζ-Carotene is the biosynthetic precursor of neurosporene, which is the precursor of lycopene, which, in turn, is the precursor of the carotenes α through ε.

Food additive

Carotene is used to colour products such as juice, cakes, desserts, butter and margarine. [3] It is approved for use as a food additive in the EU (listed as additive E160a) [25] Australia and New Zealand (listed as 160a) [26] and the US. [27]

See also

Related Research Articles

Antioxidants are compounds that inhibit oxidation, a chemical reaction that can produce free radicals. Autoxidation leads to degradation of organic compounds, including living matter. Antioxidants are frequently added to industrial products, such as polymers, fuels, and lubricants, to extend their usable lifetimes. Foods are also treated with antioxidants to forestall spoilage, in particular the rancidification of oils and fats. In cells, antioxidants such as glutathione, mycothiol, or bacillithiol, and enzyme systems like superoxide dismutase, can prevent damage from oxidative stress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lycopene</span> Carotenoid pigment

Lycopene is an organic compound classified as a tetraterpene and a carotene. Lycopene is a bright red carotenoid hydrocarbon found in tomatoes and other red fruits and vegetables.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vitamin A</span> Essential nutrient

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin and an essential nutrient for animals. The term "vitamin A" encompasses a group of chemically related organic compounds that includes retinol, retinal, retinoic acid, and several provitamin (precursor) carotenoids, most notably beta-carotene. Vitamin A has multiple functions: it is essential for embryo development and growth, for maintenance of the immune system, and for vision, where it combines with the protein opsin to form rhodopsin – the light-absorbing molecule necessary for both low-light and color vision.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Retinol</span> Chemical compound

Retinol, also called vitamin A1, is a fat-soluble vitamin in the vitamin A family that is found in food and used as a dietary supplement. Retinol or other forms of vitamin A are needed for vision, cellular development, maintenance of skin and mucous membranes, immune function and reproductive development. Dietary sources include fish, dairy products, and meat. As a supplement it is used to treat and prevent vitamin A deficiency, especially that which results in xerophthalmia. It is taken by mouth or by injection into a muscle. As an ingredient in skin-care products, it is used to reduce wrinkles and other effects of skin aging.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carotenoid</span> Class of chemical compounds; yellow, orange or red plant pigments

Carotenoids are yellow, orange, and red organic pigments that are produced by plants and algae, as well as several bacteria, archaea, and fungi. Carotenoids give the characteristic color to pumpkins, carrots, parsnips, corn, tomatoes, canaries, flamingos, salmon, lobster, shrimp, and daffodils. Over 1,100 identified carotenoids can be further categorized into two classes – xanthophylls and carotenes.

β-Carotene Red-orange pigment of the terpenoids class

β-Carotene (beta-carotene) is an organic, strongly colored red-orange pigment abundant in fungi, plants, and fruits. It is a member of the carotenes, which are terpenoids (isoprenoids), synthesized biochemically from eight isoprene units and thus having 40 carbons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Xanthophyll</span> Chemical compounds subclass

Xanthophylls are yellow pigments that occur widely in nature and form one of two major divisions of the carotenoid group; the other division is formed by the carotenes. The name is from Greek: xanthos (ξανθός), meaning "yellow", and phyllon (φύλλον), meaning "leaf"), due to their formation of the yellow band seen in early chromatography of leaf pigments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Retinal</span> Chemical compound

Retinal is a polyene chromophore. Retinal, bound to proteins called opsins, is the chemical basis of visual phototransduction, the light-detection stage of visual perception (vision).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sunless tanning</span> Indoor tanning lotion

Sunless tanning, also known as UV filled tanning, self tanning, spray tanning, or fake tanning, refers to the effect of a suntan without exposure to the Sun. Sunless tanning involves the use of oral agents (carotenids), or creams, lotions or sprays applied to the skin. Skin-applied products may be skin-reactive agents or temporary bronzers (colorants).

The ionones, from greek ἴον ion "violet", are a series of closely related chemical substances that are part of a group of compounds known as rose ketones, which also includes damascones and damascenones. Ionones are aroma compounds found in a variety of essential oils, including rose oil. β-Ionone is a significant contributor to the aroma of roses, despite its relatively low concentration, and is an important fragrance chemical used in perfumery. The ionones are derived from the degradation of carotenoids.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lutein</span> Yellow organic pigment created by plants

Lutein is a xanthophyll and one of 600 known naturally occurring carotenoids. Lutein is synthesized only by plants, and like other xanthophylls is found in high quantities in green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale and yellow carrots. In green plants, xanthophylls act to modulate light energy and serve as non-photochemical quenching agents to deal with triplet chlorophyll, an excited form of chlorophyll which is overproduced at very high light levels during photosynthesis. See xanthophyll cycle for this topic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Apocarotenal</span> Chemical compound

Apocarotenal, or trans-β-apo-8'-carotenal, is a carotenoid found in spinach and citrus fruits. Like other carotenoids, apocarotenal plays a role as a precursor of vitamin A, even though it has 50% less pro-vitamin A activity than β-carotene. The empirical chemical formula for apocarotenal is C30H40O.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carotenoid oxygenase</span>

Carotenoid oxygenases are a family of enzymes involved in the cleavage of carotenoids to produce, for example, retinol, commonly known as vitamin A. This family includes an enzyme known as RPE65 which is abundantly expressed in the retinal pigment epithelium where it catalyzed the formation of 11-cis-retinol from all-trans-retinyl esters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carotenosis</span> Skin discoloration caused by carotenoids

Carotenosis is a benign and reversible medical condition where an excess of dietary carotenoids results in orange discoloration of the outermost skin layer. The discoloration is most easily observed in light-skinned people and may be mistaken for jaundice. Carotenoids are lipid-soluble compounds that include alpha- and beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. The primary serum carotenoids are beta-carotene, lycopene, and lutein. Serum levels of carotenoids vary between region, ethnicity, and sex in the healthy population. All are absorbed by passive diffusion from the gastrointestinal tract and are then partially metabolized in the intestinal mucosa and liver to vitamin A. From there they are transported in the plasma into the peripheral tissues. Carotenoids are eliminated via sweat, sebum, urine, and gastrointestinal secretions. Carotenoids contribute to normal-appearing human skin color, and are a significant component of physiologic ultraviolet photoprotection.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vitamin A deficiency</span> Disease resulting from low Vitamin A concentrations in the body

Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) or hypovitaminosis A is a lack of vitamin A in blood and tissues. It is common in poorer countries, especially among children and women of reproductive age, but is rarely seen in more developed countries. Nyctalopia is one of the first signs of VAD, as the vitamin has a major role in phototransduction; but it is also the first symptom that is reversed when vitamin A is consumed again. Xerophthalmia, keratomalacia, and complete blindness can follow if the deficiency is more severe.

γ-Carotene (gamma-carotene) is a carotenoid, and is a biosynthetic intermediate for cyclized carotenoid synthesis in plants. It is formed from cyclization of lycopene by lycopene cyclase epsilon. Along with several other carotenoids, γ-carotene is a vitamer of vitamin A in herbivores and omnivores. Carotenoids with a cyclized, beta-ionone ring can be converted to vitamin A, also known as retinol, by the enzyme beta-carotene 15,15'-dioxygenase; however, the bioconversion of γ-carotene to retinol has not been well-characterized. γ-Carotene has tentatively been identified as a biomarker for green and purple sulfur bacteria in a sample from the 1.640 ± 0.003-Gyr-old Barney Creek Formation in Northern Australia which comprises marine sediments. Tentative discovery of γ-carotene in marine sediments implies a past euxinic environment, where water columns were anoxic and sulfidic. This is significant for reconstructing past oceanic conditions, but so far γ-carotene has only been potentially identified in the one measured sample.

β-Cryptoxanthin is a natural carotenoid pigment. It has been isolated from a variety of sources including the fruit of plants in the genus Physalis, orange rind, papaya, egg yolk, butter, apples, and bovine blood serum.

<i>Blakeslea trispora</i> Species of fungus

Blakeslea trispora is a mould and member of the division Zygomycota. This species has been well studied for its ability to produce carotenoids, particularly, β-carotene and lycopene. β-carotene is a vitamin A precursor and both of β-carotene and lycopene play a significant role in the inhibition of oxidative stress. Blakeslea trispora is commonly isolated from soil samples throughout the Southern United States and Southern Asia. B. trispora is a pathogen of tropical plants. In vivo pathogenicity testing using animal models suggests this fungus is not a cause of animal or human disease.

δ-Carotene Chemical compound

δ-Carotene (delta-carotene) or ε,ψ-carotene is a form of carotene with an ε-ring at one end, and the other uncyclized, labelled ψ (psi). It is an intermediate synthesis product in some photosynthetic plants between lycopene and α-carotene (β,ε-carotene) or ε-carotene (ε,ε-carotene). δ-Carotene is fat soluble. Delta-carotene contains an alpha-ionone instead of a beta-ionone ring; this conversion is carried out by the gene Del which shifts the position of the double bond in the ring structure. The formation delta-carotene under the presence of the Del gene is sensitive to high temperatures.

References

  1. Mosby's Medical, Nursing and Allied Health Dictionary, Fourth Edition, Mosby-Year Book 1994, p. 273
  2. "carotene". Online Etymology Dictionary .
  3. 1 2 Marmion D, Updated By Staff (2012). "Colorants for Foods, Drugs, and Cosmetics". Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology. doi:10.1002/0471238961.0315121513011813.a01.pub3. ISBN   978-0471238966.
  4. Green AS, Tang G, Lango J, Klasing KC, Fascetti AJ (2011). "Domestic cats convert ((2) H(8))-β-carotene to ((2) H(4))-retinol following a single oral dose". Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition. 96 (4): 681–92. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0396.2011.01196.x. PMID   21797934.
  5. Theodore L. Sourkes, "The Discovery and Early History of Carotene," http://acshist.scs.illinois.edu/bulletin_open_access/v34-1/v34-1%20p32-38.pdf
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 "Carotenoids". Micronutrient Information Center, Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University. 1 August 2016. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  7. Ajila CM, Prasada Rao UJ (2008). "Determination of carotenoids and their esters in fruits of Lycium barbarum Linnaeus by HPLC-DAD-APCI-MS". J Pharm Biomed Anal. 47 (4–5): 812–8. doi:10.1016/j.jpba.2008.04.001. PMID   18486400.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Vitamin A: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals". Office of Dietary Supplements, US National Institutes of Health. 9 July 2019. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  9. Schweiggert RM, Kopec RE, Villalobos-Gutierrez MG, Högel J, Quesada S, Esquivel P, Schwartz SJ, Carle R (2013-08-12). "Carotenoids are more bioavailable from papaya than from tomato and carrot in humans: a randomised cross-over study". British Journal of Nutrition. 111 (3): 490–498. doi:10.1017/s0007114513002596. ISSN   0007-1145. PMC   4091614 . PMID   23931131.
  10. Adewusi SR, Bradbury JH (1993). "Carotenoids in cassava: Comparison of open-column and HPLC methods of analysis". Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. 62 (4): 375. doi:10.1002/jsfa.2740620411.
  11. "British Cancer Organization Calls for Warning Labels on Beta-Carotene". 2000-07-31. Archived from the original on 2006-12-04. Retrieved 2007-03-15.
  12. The Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta Carotene Cancer Prevention Study Group (1994). "The effect of vitamin E and beta carotene on the incidence of lung cancer and other cancers in male smokers". N Engl J Med. 330 (15): 1029–35. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199404143301501 . PMID   8127329.
  13. Omenn GS, Goodman GE, Thornquist MD, et al. (1996). "Risk factors for lung cancer and for intervention effects in CARET, the Beta-Carotene and Retinol Efficacy Trial" (PDF). J Natl Cancer Inst. 88 (21): 1550–9. doi: 10.1093/jnci/88.21.1550 . PMID   8901853.
  14. 1 2 Omenn GS, Goodman GE, Thornquist MD, et al. (1996). "Effects of a combination of beta carotene and vitamin A on lung cancer and cardiovascular disease" (PDF). N Engl J Med. 334 (18): 1150–5. doi:10.1056/NEJM199605023341802. PMID   8602180.
  15. Bjelakovic G, Nikolova D, Gluud LL, Simonetti RG, Gluud C (2007). "Mortality in randomized trials of antioxidant supplements for primary and secondary prevention: systematic review and meta-analysis". JAMA. 297 (8): 842–57. doi:10.1001/jama.297.8.842. PMID   17327526.
  16. See the letter to JAMA by Philip Taylor and Sanford Dawsey and the reply by the authors of the original paper.
  17. Mathews-Ross M (1977). "Beta Carotene Therapy for Erythropoietic Protoporphyria and Other Photosensitivity Diseases". Archives of Dermatology. 113 (9): 1229–1232. doi:10.1001/archderm.1977.01640090077011. PMID   900968.
  18. Sell CS (2006). "Terpenoids". Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology. doi:10.1002/0471238961.2005181602120504.a01.pub2. ISBN   0471238961.
  19. Galanakis CM (2020). Carotenoids: Properties, Processing and Applications. London: Academic Press. ISBN   9780128173145.
  20. Ullah R, Khan S, Ali H, Bilal M, Saleem M (2017-05-18). "Identification of cow and buffalo milk based on Beta carotene and vitamin-A concentration using fluorescence spectroscopy". PLOS ONE. 12 (5): e0178055. Bibcode:2017PLoSO..1278055U. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0178055 . ISSN   1932-6203. PMC   5436857 . PMID   28542353.
  21. Krishna K (2012). Biology of Termites. Elsevier. p. 414. ISBN   9780323144582.
  22. Wittig G.; Pommer H.: DBP 954247, 1956
  23. Wittig G.; Pommer H. (1959). Chem. Abstr. 53: 2279
  24. USpatent 2609396,Inhoffen Hans Herloff&Pommer Horst,"Compounds with the carbon skeleton of beta-carotene and process for the manufacture thereof",published 1952-09-02
  25. UK Food Standards Agency: "Current EU approved additives and their E Numbers" . Retrieved 2011-10-27.
  26. Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code "Standard 1.2.4 – Labelling of ingredients". 8 September 2011. Retrieved 2014-12-22.
  27. US FDA: "Food Additive Status List". Food and Drug Administration . Retrieved 2014-12-22.