Betacarotene is a defined organic compound recorded by PubChem as Beta-Carotene. Its molecular formula is C40H56, and its relative molecular mass is approximately 536.9 g/mol. Beta-carotene is a cyclic carotene obtained by dimerisation of all-trans-retinol. A strongly-coloured red-orange pigment abundant in plants and fruit and the most active and important provitamin A carotenoid. It has a role as a ferroptosis inhibitor, an antioxidant, a cofactor, a biological pigment, a provitamin A, a mouse metabolite, a plant metabolite and a human metabolite.
Its practical behavior depends on purity, concentration, formulation, and the physical conditions under which it is used; biological effects are generally evaluated through toxicology and exposure assessment rather than a therapeutic mechanism. Major applications include chemical manufacture, formulation or processing, laboratory analysis, reference-standard work, quality control, and environmental or occupational risk assessment.
