Description

Beta carotene is one of the most important naturally occurring antioxidants. It is a fat-soluble pigment found in plants (notably carrots and many colorful vegetables and fruits) and in the sea alga Dunaleilla salina and D. bardawil. Naturalbeta carotene supplements are derived primarily from D. salina. Beta carotene is one of the major dietary carotenoids and one of the most biologically active of approximately 800 carotenes and more than 1,000 carotenoids present in food. It is responsible for the orange or yellow colors of many fruits and vegetables. In the human body, beta carotene is found in lipids and in fat tissues. Sometimes beta carotene is called provitamin A because it is more easily converted to