Beta-carotene

The colouring of the animal and vegetable kingdom is one of nature’s most magnificent achievements. Among nature’s pigments, the carotenoids are the most common and provide us with some very interesting functions, the most important being to serve as an indicator of the identity and quality of a food source.
Beta-carotene is a yellow to orange pigment which can be found in yellow and orange vegetables (carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, squash), yellow and orange fruits (apricots, cantaloupe melon, mango, paw, nectarines and peaches) and dark green leafy vegetables.
Beta-carotene is probably the most prominent of carotenoids and has numerous applications in food colouring, for beverages but also confectionery, dairy and bakery products.

Nutrient functions
Beta-carotene also plays an important role as a precursor of vitamin A, and is used as a nutrient in foods, dietary supplements and animal feeds. Together with vitamin E and vitamin C it forms the trio of antioxidant vitamins now believed to have a preventive effect on degenerative diseases such as cardiovascular disease or cancer.

DSM’s carotenoids
Besides its wide portfolio of product forms of nature-identical carotenoids for beverage, food, dietary supplement and animal feed applications, DSM Nutritional Products is also offering high purity natural beta-carotene produced by a fermentation process using naturally occurring micro-organisms ( Blakeslea Trispora). DSM's natural beta-carotene product portfolio is marketed under the CaroCare brand.

For more information on beta-carotene, please click here