Canthaxanthin
Chemical compound / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Canthaxanthin /ˌkænθəˈzænθɪn/ ⓘ is a keto-carotenoid[3] pigment widely distributed in nature. Carotenoids belong to a larger class of phytochemicals known as terpenoids. The chemical formula of canthaxanthin is C40H52O2.[4] It was first isolated in edible mushrooms. It has also been found in green algae, bacteria, crustaceans, and bioaccumulates in fish such as carp, golden grey mullet, seabream and trush wrasse.[4]
Names | |
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IUPAC name
β,β-Carotene-4,4′-dione | |
Systematic IUPAC name
3,3′-[(1E,3E,5E,7E,9E,11E,13E,15E,17E)-3,7,12,16-Tetramethyloctadeca-1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15,17-nonaene-1,18-diyl]bis(2,4,4-trimethylcyclohex-2-en-1-one) | |
Other names
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Identifiers | |
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3D model (JSmol) |
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ChEBI | |
ChEMBL | |
ChemSpider |
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ECHA InfoCard | 100.007.444 |
E number | E161g (colours) |
PubChem CID |
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UNII | |
CompTox Dashboard (EPA) |
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Properties | |
C40H52O2 | |
Molar mass | 564.82 g/mol |
Appearance | Violet crystals |
Melting point | 211 to 212 °C (412 to 414 °F; 484 to 485 K) (decomposition)[2] |
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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Canthaxanthin is associated with E number E161g and is approved for use as a food coloring agent in different countries, including the United States[5] and the EU;[6] however, it is not approved for use in Australia and New Zealand.[7] It is generally authorized for feed applications in at least the following countries: US,[8] Canada,[9] EU.[10] In the EU, canthaxanthin is allowed by law to be added to trout feed, salmon feed and poultry feed.[11] The European Union limit is 80 mg/kg of feedstuffs,[4] 8 mg/kg in feed for egg laying hens and 25 mg/kg in feed for other poultry and salmonids.
Canthaxanthin is a potent lipid-soluble antioxidant.[12][13] The biological functions of canthaxanthin are related, at least in part, to its ability to function as an antioxidant (free radical scavenging/vitamin E sparing) in animal tissues.[14]