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β-Carotene
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<p>β-Carotene (<i>beta</i>-carotene) is an <a href="/facts/Organic_compound/gqCNaN45">organic</a>, strongly colored red-orange <a href="/facts/Pigment/I3clCYkF">pigment</a> abundant in fungi, plants, and fruits. It is a member of the <a href="/facts/Carotene/oStTcszR">carotenes</a>, which are <a href="/facts/Terpenoid/1GvG7W7v">terpenoids</a> (isoprenoids), synthesized biochemically from eight <a href="/facts/Isoprene/8ArKUyzT">isoprene</a> units and thus having 40 <a href="/facts/Carbon/ukrgQexo">carbons</a>. </p><p>Dietary β-carotene is a pro<a href="/facts/Vitamin_A/5ewDf9LF">vitamin A</a> compound, converting in the body to <a href="/facts/Retinol/pUwofb2S">retinol</a> (vitamin A). In foods, it has rich content in <a href="/facts/Carrot/8UM7xqzo">carrots</a>, <a href="/facts/Pumpkin/CwxGJmej">pumpkin</a>, <a href="/facts/Spinach/PwxrL0o0">spinach</a>, and <a href="/facts/Sweet_potato/CFN3IMdj">sweet potato</a>. It is used as a <a href="/facts/Dietary_supplement/SHXNNxaS">dietary supplement</a> and may be prescribed to treat <a href="/facts/Erythropoietic_protoporphyria/xWg32hpT">erythropoietic protoporphyria</a>, an inherited condition of sunlight sensitivity. </p><p>β-carotene is the most common carotenoid in plants. When used as a <a href="/facts/Food_coloring/ueFCSxvC">food coloring</a>, it has the <a href="/facts/E_number/n3VSY29I">E number</a> E160a.: 119 The structure was deduced in 1930. </p><p>Isolation of β-carotene from fruits abundant in carotenoids is commonly done using column <a href="/facts/Chromatography/2FrvPjNV">chromatography</a>. It is industrially extracted from richer sources such as the algae <i><a href="/facts/Dunaliella_salina/xWhmkuRf">Dunaliella salina</a></i>. The separation of β-carotene from the mixture of other carotenoids is based on the polarity of a compound. β-Carotene is a non-polar compound, so it is separated with a non-polar solvent such as <a href="/facts/Hexane/JxPecNPt">hexane</a>. Being highly <a href="/facts/Conjugated_system/Ddx9qzox">conjugated</a>, it is deeply colored, and as a <a href="/facts/Hydrocarbon/Dcg95Ju5">hydrocarbon</a> lacking functional groups, it is <a href="/facts/Lipophilic/AWpsR8Xe">lipophilic</a>. </p>