Product Description
Basic Information
Chemical Name and Structure
Carotene is a kind of lipid - soluble pigment widely existing in nature. It mainly includes several isomers such as α - carotene, β - carotene and γ - carotene. Take β - carotene as an example. Its chemical name is all - trans - β - carotene and its molecular formula is . It is a tetraterpenoid compound composed of 8 isoprene units. There is a series of conjugated double bonds in its molecular structure. These conjugated double bonds are the key structures for its color manifestation and endow carotene with many important chemical properties such as antioxidant property.
Appearance and Properties
Carotene usually appears as red - orange to yellow crystals or crystalline powder. The pure product has a bright color and luster. Different isomers may have slightly different colors. β - carotene is generally dark red to red - orange. In powder form, it has a fine texture and is odorless and tasteless.
Physical and Chemical Properties
Solubility
Carotene is a lipid - soluble substance and is easily soluble in organic solvents such as petroleum ether, chloroform and benzene. It also has good solubility in vegetable oils (such as olive oil and soybean oil). However, it is almost insoluble in water, which limits its direct application in some aqueous systems. Nevertheless, by adding appropriate emulsifiers, it can form an emulsion in water, thus expanding its application range.
Stability
Carotene is relatively sensitive to light, heat and oxygen. Under light conditions, especially ultraviolet irradiation, it is prone to oxidation and isomerization reactions, resulting in a lighter color and reduced activity. It will also decompose in a high - temperature environment. For example, in a high - temperature environment above 150ºC, β - carotene will gradually lose its physiological activity. In the presence of oxygen, the oxidation reaction will be accelerated. Therefore, during storage and use, it is necessary to pay attention to sealing and light - proof.
Spectral Characteristics
Carotene has an obvious absorption spectrum in the visible light region. The absorption peak positions of different isomers are different. β - carotene has a maximum absorption peak at 450 - 455nm. This characteristic can be used for the quantitative and qualitative analysis of carotene. The content can be accurately measured by instruments such as a spectrophotometer.
Sources and Production Methods
Natural Sources
Plants are the main natural sources of carotene. Many vegetables and fruits are rich in carotene, such as carrots, spinach, pumpkins, mangoes and citrus fruits. In plants, carotene mainly exists in chloroplasts and chromoplasts. It plays a certain role in the process of photosynthesis and is decisive for the color of plants. Carotene can be extracted from plants by the organic solvent extraction method. After the plant raw materials are crushed, they are extracted with a suitable organic solvent (such as hexane). After filtration, concentration and crystallization and other steps, the carotene products are obtained.
Synthesis Methods
The chemical synthesis method is an important method for the industrial production of carotene. Take β - carotene as an example. Usually, organic synthesis methods such as Wittig reaction are used. Through multiple steps, β - carotene is synthesized from small - molecule organic compounds. The chemically synthesized carotene has a high purity and the output can be adjusted on a large scale according to the demand. However, there may be problems such as a small amount of chemical solvent residue.
Microbial fermentation is also an emerging production method. Some microorganisms (such as Blakeslea trispora) can synthesize carotene under specific fermentation conditions. The carotene produced by this method is considered as a natural equivalent, has good biological activity and safety, and the production process is relatively environmentally friendly.
Quality Standards and Specifications
Purity Standards
For carotene products with different uses, the purity requirements are different. In the fields of food and health products, the purity of carotene (calculated as β - carotene) is generally required to be about 90% - 98%. In the medical field, the purity requirement is higher and may need to reach more than 98% to ensure its safety and effectiveness.
Impurity Limitations
There are strict limitations on the content of heavy metals (such as lead, mercury and arsenic). For example, the lead content is usually required to be no more than 1mg/kg, the mercury content is required to be no more than 0.1mg/kg and the arsenic content is required to be no more than 1mg/kg. At the same time, there are corresponding standards for organic solvent residues and microorganisms. In terms of microbial indicators, the total number of bacteria, the number of molds and yeasts, etc. must meet the relevant regulations. Especially for carotene products used in food and medicine, microbial contamination needs to be strictly controlled.
Uses and Application Fields
Food Industry
Carotene is an important food coloring agent and is used to add red - orange to yellow color to food. It can be used for coloring lipid - based products (such as margarine and edible oil) to make their colors more attractive. It is also widely used in beverages (such as fruit juice drinks and functional drinks), dairy products (such as ice - cream and cheese) and baked goods (such as bread and cake). It can not only improve the appearance of products but also provide a certain nutritional value.
Health Product Industry
Carotene has multiple health - care functions such as antioxidant, prevention of cardiovascular diseases and protection of vision. In health products, it often appears in the form of capsules and tablets. As a dietary supplement, it provides provitamin A (β - carotene can be partially converted into vitamin A in the human body) to help maintain normal physiological functions.
Medical Field
In medicine, carotene can be used to treat some diseases related to vitamin A deficiency, such as night blindness and xerophthalmia. In addition, its antioxidant characteristics also play a role in the adjuvant treatment of some diseases. For example, in the process of preventing and alleviating some cancers and cardiovascular diseases, it can scavenge free radicals in the body and reduce the damage of oxidative stress to cells.
Cosmetics Industry
Due to its antioxidant and coloring properties, carotene also has applications in cosmetics. It can be added to color - cosmetic products such as lipsticks, blushes and eye - shadows to give color to products. At the same time, it provides a certain antioxidant protection to prevent the oxidation and deterioration of the oil components in cosmetics and extend the shelf life of products.
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