Lycopene幻灯片课件.pptVIP

Lycopene 郑宁 Introduction Lycopene is a bright red carotene and carotenoid pigment and phytochemical found in tomatoes and other red fruits and vegetables, such as red carrots, red bell peppers, watermelons .Although lycopene is chemically a carotene, it has no vitamin A activity. Due to its strong color and non-toxicity, lycopene is a useful food coloring and is approved for usage in the USA, Australia and New Zealand and the EU. Lycopene is not an essential nutrient for humans, but is commonly found in the diet, mainly from dishes prepared from tomatoes.. Because preliminary research has shown an inverse correlation between consumption of tomatoes and cancer risk, lycopene has been considered a potential agent for prevention of some types of cancers. Structure Structure Lycopene is a symmetrical tetraterpene(四萜烯 ) assembled from 8 isoprene(异戊二烯 ) units. It is a member of the carotenoid family of compounds, and because it consists entirely of carbon and hydrogen, is also a carotene. Solubility Lycopene is insoluble in water, and can be dissolved only in organic solvents and oils. Because of its non-polarity, lycopene in food preparations will stain any sufficiently porous material, including most plastics. Adverse effects Lycopene is non-toxic and is commonly found in the diet, but cases of excessive carotenoid intake have been reported. In a middle aged woman who had prolonged and excessive consumption of tomato juice, her skin and liver were colored orange-yellow and she had elevated levels of lycopene in her blood. There are also cases of intolerance or allergic reaction to dietary lycopene, which may cause stomach pain or cramps, gas, vomiting, and loss of appetite.