Question: what is the difference between alpha carotene and beta carotene?
Answer: The carotenoid family The difference between the two groups is chemical: xanthophylls contain oxygen, while carotenes are hydrocarbons and do not contain oxygen. ... Alpha-carotene, beta-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin are provitamin A carotenoids; lutein, zeaxanthin and lycopene are not.