Carotenoids: Sources, medicinal properties and their application in food and nutraceutical industry

摘要: Carotenoids are biosynthesized by bacteria, algae, fungi, and plants, but not animals, which must obtain them from their food. These compounds divided into two major classes based on structural elements; carotenes, constituted carbon hydrogen (e.g. b-carotene, a-carotene lycopene), xanthophylls, carbon, hydrogen, additionally oxygen (for example lutein, b-cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin, astaxanthin fucoxanthin). have good effect human health, such as pro-vitamin A, antioxidant, anticancer, antiobesity anabolic bone components. Currently, carotenoids used commercially feed additives, animal supplements, natural food colorants, nutrient supplement and, more recently, nutraceuticals for cosmetic pharmaceutical purposes. can be produced chemical synthesis, fermentation or isolation the small number of abundant sources. Furthermore, commercial production microorganisms competes mainly with synthetic manufacture synthesis. However, most β-carotene, cantaxanthin) synthesis.   Key words: Carotenoid, industry, nutraceutical, colorant, supplement, effect.