ABSTRACT

Carotenoids are compounds constituted by eight isoprenoid units (ip). The ip units are joined in a head-to-tail pattern, but the order is inverted at the molecule center (Figure 7.1). According to this structure, a numbering system (semisystematic) was assigned to name carotenoids. Lycopene (C

H

) is considered the first colored carotenoid in the biosynthesis of many other natural carotenoids and it is linear. Moreover, it is also common to find acyclic, cyclic, and shortened carotenoids, among others. Consequently, carotenoid biosynthesis involves many chemical reactions to attain such diverse structures.