Beta Carotene in the Food Industry

Beta carotenes are renowned for their antioxidant qualities since they are a great source of vitamin A. Beta carotene is considered provitamin A with the capacity of being enzymatically converted to retinol. This important nutrient, stocked by food ingredient supplier Bell Chem, will boost your products and attract more customers.

Where Beta Carotene Comes From

Beta carotene abounds in intensely colored fruits and vegetables, including carrots, sweet potatoes, broccoli, and cantaloupe. As a general rule, the fruits and vegetables with the brightest colors contain the greatest amounts of beta carotene. However, only 2% of beta carotene on the market today is produced naturally. Instead, chemists rely on bacteria, filamentous fungi, microalgae, and yeasts to provide the world with its need for beta carotene.

As a Colorant

In the food industry, beta carotene has played a variety of roles. One of these is as a colorant. The obvious example is a carrot, whose orange flesh is the result of an increased amount of beta carotene. The yellowish orange pigment of beta carotene is utilized frequently as a colorant for margarine and butter, oils, cheese and ice cream, pasta and biscuits, milk replacement products, soups, and eggs, to name a few examples. By changing the amount of beta carotene used, color variations from light yellow to red are achieved, depending on the product

As a Nutritional Supplement

Along with being a natural colorant, beta carotene also has nutritional supplemental properties. Add beta carotene as an antioxidant since the human body is not capable of synthesizing this important nutrient itself; it must rely on supplements or natural foods. In fact, the vitamin A in beta carotene supports eye health by preventing blindness and night blindness, maintaining specific cells in the eye, improving reproductive efficiency, and maintaining skin hue as a natural pigment. 

Bell Chem is a food ingredient supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including beta carotene. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.