Rare colorless carotenoids emerge as multifunctional ingredients for beauty and health

Colorless carotenoids are naturally occurring compounds found in many fruits and vegetables, and are the biosynthetic precursors of familiar colored carotenoids such as lycopene and β-carotene.

Despite their important biological roles, phytoene and phytofluene have received far less scientific attention because their geometric isomers are difficult to separate and purify in sufficient quantities for detailed investigation.

As a result, little has been known about how individual isomers differ in their chemical characteristics and biological activities, limiting their potential development as high-value functional ingredients. ...