Beta Carotene

About Beta Carotene

Beta carotene is an orange red carotenoid pigment and the most important dietary source of provitamin A. Its name derives from the carrot, from which carotene was first isolated in the nineteenth century. In the intestine the enzyme beta carotene oxygenase can cleave it into retinal, which is then converted to other forms of vitamin A. This conversion is regulated according to need, so beta carotene from foods does not cause vitamin A toxicity, although very high intake can produce carotenemia, a harmless yellow orange tint of the skin. Beta carotene is also used as a food coloring. Observational studies linked diets rich in carotenoids with lower risk of some chronic diseases, but large randomized trials, notably the ATBC and CARET studies, found that beta carotene supplements increased lung cancer risk in smokers and asbestos exposed workers. Golden Rice was genetically engineered to produce beta carotene in the grain to help address vitamin A deficiency in populations reliant on rice.