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- Current: May 3, 2022
Carotenoid
Carotenoids are a group of lipid-soluble pigments structurally related to terpenes. Carotenoids have various colors such as yellow, orange, red, and brown, and are commonly present in animals and plants.
Some examples of this group of molecules include the lycopene (red pigment of tomato) and astaxanthin (orange pigment of shrimps and salmons). The figure below is the structure of isorenieratene, a carotenoid found in green sulfur bacteria.
Definitions in the literature
- Any of a group of yellow, orange, red, or brown pigments chemically related to terpenes [1].
- Carotenoids are a family of compounds of over 600 fat-soluble plant pigments and provide much of the color we see in nature [2].
