carotene

  1. Noun.  (organic chemistry) A class of tetraterpene plant pigments; they vary in colour from yellow, through orange to red, this colour originating in a chain of alternating single and double bonds.
  2. Noun.  (organic chemistry) Specifically, a number of isomers of tetraterpene hydrocarbons, C40H56, (especially ''beta-carotene''), present in carrots etc, which are converted into vitamin A in the liver.

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This entry was last updated on RefTopia from its source on 3/20/2012.