ABSTRACT
Carotenoids are fat-soluble natural pigments, found mainly in plants, where they serve as an accessory light-gathering pigment and protect these organisms from toxic effects of oxygen [1]. Depending on the number of double bonds, several cis/ trans congurations are possible and enable a large number of different carotenoids. At present, approximately 800 have been identied. Carotenoids can be subdivided into carotenes, consisting only of carbon and hydrogen, and xanthophylls, which are oxygen-containing derivatives of carotenes.
