Question

Which of the following is red-orange pigment of carrot roots?

• A. $\alpha$-carotene
• B. $\beta$-carotene
• C. Violaxanthin
• D. Fucoxanthin

Answer 1

The correct option is B $\beta$-carotene

Carotenoids are the yellow, brown and orange pigments, which absorb light strongly in the blue-violet region. Carotenoids are of two types: carotenes and xanthophylls.

Carotenes are the hydrocarbons with molecular formula $C_{40}{H}_{56}$. Carotenes are orange in colour. The most common Carotene is β-Carotene which is converted to vitamin-A by animals and humans by hydrolysis.

All the orange colour found in Carrots is due to β-Carotene.

So, the correct answer is B.