Lycopene, a carotenoid found in plant foods, is also a red pigment. Dark red acicular crystal, benzene and grease but insoluble in water. Unstable to light and oxygen, turns brown in the presence of iron. Molecular formula C40H56, relative molecular mass 536.85. The molecular structure has 11 conjugated double bonds and 2 unconjugated double bonds, constituting a straight chain type hydrocarbon. There is no physiological activity of vitamin A, but it has strong antioxidant function. The content is higher in the fruits of mature red plants, especially in tomatoes, carrots, watermelon, papaya and guava. It can be used as a pigment in food processing and is also commonly used as a raw material for antioxidant health food.
Lycopene is an organic compound classified as a tetraterpene and a carotene. Lycopene (from the Neo-Latin Lycopersicon, the tomato species) is a bright red carotenoid hydrocarbon found in tomatoes and other red fruits and vegetables.
the unconditioned biosynthesis of lycopene in eukaryotic plants and in prokaryotic cyanobacteria is similar, as are the enzymes involved. Synthesis begins with mevalonic acid, which is converted into dimethylallyl pyrophosphate. This is then condensed with three molecules of isopentenyl pyrophosphate (an isomer of dimethylallyl pyrophosphate), to give the 20-carbon geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate. Two molecules of this product are then condensed in a tail-to-tail configuration to give the 40-carbon phytoene, the first committed step in carotenoid biosynthesis. Through several desaturation steps, phytoene is converted into lycopene. The two terminal isoprene groups of lycopene can be cyclized to produce beta-carotene, which can then be transformed into a wide variety of xanthophylls.
Lycopene is not an essential nutrient for humans, but is commonly found in the diet mainly from dishes prepared from tomatoes.The median and 99th percentile of dietary lycopene intake have been estimated to be 5.2 and 123 mg/d, respectivel
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