ABSTRACT
Carotenoids represent one of the broadest groups of natural antioxidants (over 600 characterized structurally) with signicant biological effects and numerous industrial applications. Lycopene is a typical acyclic carotene that serves as a starting metabolite for formation of carotenoid derivatives via specic routes (β-carotene, torulene, etc.). Xanthophylls include hydroxy-, methoxy-oxo-, epoxy-, carboxy-, and aldehydic groups (torularhodin, zeaxanthin, astaxanthin, etc.), which results in a broad structural variety of carotenoid compounds.
