Question

Red colour of tomatoes, carrots and chillies is due to the presence of a type of carotene pigment called as

• A. lutein
• B. lycopene
• C. fucoxanthin
• D. phycoerythrin

Answer 1

Answer: (B)

lycopene

Answer 2

Carotenes are hydrocarbons with a general formula of $C_{40}H_{56}$. Red colour of tomato, carrots and chillies is due to carotene called lycopene. The most common carotene is $\beta$-carotene. It is converted to vitamin $A$ by animals and human beings. \underset{\text{\beta- carotene}}{ {C40H56 }} ${->}$ $\underset{\text{Vitamin A}}{ {2C19H27CH2OH }}$