Hierarchy classification:

1. top of the aat hierarchies
2. Materials Facet
3. Materials (hierarchy name)
4. materials (substances)
5. [materials by function]
6. colorant (material)
7. pigments
8. [pigment by composition or origin]
9. natural organic pigment
10. plant pigment
11. carotenoid

Anotations

Scope note:

A natural orange-yellow colorant widely distributed as pigments in plants and animals and converted in the livers of many animals into vitamin A. In plants, carotene imparts yellow, orange, or red colors to flowers (e.g., dandelion, marigold), fruits (e.g., pumpkin, apricot), and roots (e.g., carrot, sweet potato). In animals they are visible in fats (e.g., butter), egg yolks, feathers (e.g., canary), and shells (e.g., lobster). These pigments are unsaturated hydrocarbons (having many double bonds), belonging to the isoprenoid series. Carotene occurs naturally in three isomeric forms, the most common being beta-carotene. As a colorant, it is sensitive to light and air; soluble in fats, oils and other substances, insoluble in water.