Carotenoids are essential to plants for photosynthesis, acting in light-harvesting and, especially, in protection against destructive photooxidation. Without carotenoids photosynthesis in an oxygenic atmosphere would be impossible. But carotenoids are not simply pigments of terrestrial plants. They occur widely in bacteria, fungi and algae, where they can be useful taxonomic markers. The production of carotenoids in seaweed runs to hundreds of million tons per year.
Carotenoids are important factors in human health.
The essential role of beta-carotene and others as the main dietary source of vitamin A has been known for many years. More recently, protective effects of carotenoids against serious disorders such as cancer, heart disease and degenerative eye disease have been recognized, and have stimulated intensive resarch into the role of carotenoids as antioxidants and as regulators of the immune response system. Currents carotenoid research encompasses a wide veriety of fields and interests including plant physiology, food science, environmental science, taxonomy, industrial chemical synthesis, biotechnology and medical research. All the work must be based on a solid foundaation of carotenoid chemistry and reliable methods for handling and analysing these rather unsatble substances. For comments concerning this site email to the webmaster .