Carotenoid Extraction and Quantification from Capsicum annuum

Carotenoids are ubiquitous pigments that play key roles in photosynthesis and also accumulate to high levels in fruit and flowers. Specific carotenoids play essential roles in human health as these compounds are precursors for Vitamin A; other specific carotenoids are important sources of macular pigments and all carotenoids are important anti-oxidants. Accurate determination of the composition and concentration of this complex set of natural products is therefore important in many different scientific areas. One of the richest sources of these compounds is the fruit of Capsicum; these red, yellow and orange fruit accumulate multiple carotenes and xanthophylls. This report describes the detailed method for the extraction and quantification of specific carotenes and xanthophylls.