Preface

Chapter 8 **Effects of Z-Isomerization on the Bioavailability and Functionality of Carotenoids: A Review 139**

Chapter 9 **Lutein-Enriched Emulsion-Based Delivery System: Impact of**

Goto

**VI** Contents

González

Chapter 10 **Lutein and the Aging Eye 171**

Shen Nian and Amy C.Y. Lo

**Remote Sensing 197**

Chapter 11 **Monitoring Crop Carotenoids Concentration by**

Masaki Honda, Hayato Maeda, Tetsuya Fukaya and Motonobu

**Casein-Phospholipid Emulsifiers on Chemical Stability 161** Adela Mora-Gutierrez, Rahmat Attaie and Maryuri Núñez de

Wenjiang Huang, Xianfeng Zhou, Weiping Kong and Huichun Ye

Currently, there is information on 1182 natural carotenoids scattered with 697 bioresources. The original chemical fingerprints are currently investigated, making it easy to classify chem‐ ical modification patterns in carotenoid structures, to search for similarities, and to predict some of the biological functions of carotenoids such as photosynthetic pigment, photoprotec‐ tive activity, provitamin A, antioxidant, spectral filter of the eye retina, anti-photosensitizing agent, membrane stabilizer, anticarcinogenic activity, induce cell differentiation, antimicrobi‐ al activity, anti-diabetes activity, anti-obesity, anti-inflammatory, immune response enhance‐ ment, feeding deterrent activity, allelochemicals, retinoic acid receptors, and transcription activation besides sensory functions related to odor, taste, and color. Our goal in this book is to amplify the understanding of how organisms are related to carotenoids either through aspects related to basic science or applied technology to this research field.

> **Leila Queiroz Zepka** Federal University of Santa Maria Santa Maria, Brazil

**Veridiana Vera de Rosso** Federal University of São Paulo Santos, Brazil

**Eduardo Jacob-Lopes** Federal University of Santa Maria Santa Maria, Brazil

**Chapter 1**

**Provisional chapter**

**Carotenoids: A Brief Overview on Its Structure,**

**Carotenoids: A Brief Overview on Its Structure,** 

DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.79542

Currently, 1178 natural carotenoids have been properly characterized and reported in the literature, which present a huge structural diversity and physicochemical properties. This number comprises a wide distribution of these biomolecules in approximately 700 source organisms including plants, bacteria, fungi, and algae. Besides having a wide applicability as natural dyes, some carotenoids such as β-carotene already have another well-established application such as provitamin A activity. However, due to the structural diversity of these molecules, there are still numerous biochemical and physiological functions to be associated with this class of compounds. Accordingly, these characteristics enable a wide applicability, what drives the global carotenoid market. Thus, with the primary objective of addressing aspects regarding to basic science and applied carotenoid technology, a comprehensive description of the biology, biochemistry, and chemistry of

**Keywords:** carotenoid, structure, synthesis, biosynthesis, industrial application

It is often stated that without carotenoids, life in an oxygenic atmosphere would not be possible, and we would not exist. Thereby, over millions of years, the living organism chloroplasts maintained collections of carotenoids to protect the intricate and delicate photosynthetic

> © 2016 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

© 2018 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use,

distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

**Biosynthesis, Synthesis, and Applications**

**Biosynthesis, Synthesis, and Applications**

Eduardo Jacob-Lopes, Veridiana Vera De Rosso and

Eduardo Jacob-Lopes, Veridiana Vera De Rosso and

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

these compounds will be described in this chapter.

apparatus against destruction by photooxidation [1, 2].

**1. Historical aspects of carotenoids**

Andrêssa Silva Fernandes,

Andrêssa Silva Fernandes,

Leila Queiroz Zepka

Leila Queiroz Zepka

**Abstract**

Tatiele Casagrande do Nascimento,

Tatiele Casagrande do Nascimento,

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.79542

#### **Carotenoids: A Brief Overview on Its Structure, Biosynthesis, Synthesis, and Applications Carotenoids: A Brief Overview on Its Structure, Biosynthesis, Synthesis, and Applications**

DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.79542

Andrêssa Silva Fernandes, Tatiele Casagrande do Nascimento, Eduardo Jacob-Lopes, Veridiana Vera De Rosso and Leila Queiroz Zepka Andrêssa Silva Fernandes, Tatiele Casagrande do Nascimento, Eduardo Jacob-Lopes, Veridiana Vera De Rosso and Leila Queiroz Zepka

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.79542

#### **Abstract**

Currently, 1178 natural carotenoids have been properly characterized and reported in the literature, which present a huge structural diversity and physicochemical properties. This number comprises a wide distribution of these biomolecules in approximately 700 source organisms including plants, bacteria, fungi, and algae. Besides having a wide applicability as natural dyes, some carotenoids such as β-carotene already have another well-established application such as provitamin A activity. However, due to the structural diversity of these molecules, there are still numerous biochemical and physiological functions to be associated with this class of compounds. Accordingly, these characteristics enable a wide applicability, what drives the global carotenoid market. Thus, with the primary objective of addressing aspects regarding to basic science and applied carotenoid technology, a comprehensive description of the biology, biochemistry, and chemistry of these compounds will be described in this chapter.

**Keywords:** carotenoid, structure, synthesis, biosynthesis, industrial application
