Practical Guide to Establishing Palm Carotenoids Profiles by HPLC with Three Dimensional Diode Array Detector
Crude palm oil is one of the richest plant source of carotenoids in terms of retinol (pro-vitamin A) equivalents. Carotenoids are naturally occurring C-40 plant pigments. Their conjugated polyenic chromophore is responsible for the characteristic light absorbing properties. Hydrocarbon and oxygenated carotenoids are termed carotene and xanthophyll respectively. Carotene, in particular α-carotene and β-carotene have long been associated with pro-vitamin A activity. Other minor carotene such as γ-carotene and β-zeacarotene also possess vitamin A activity (Choo, 1995).