Burton and Ingold (1984) suggested that b-carotene reacts
with peroxyl groups by addition, rather than by hydrogen
abstraction. Liebler & McClure (1996) identified radical adducts
formed during b-carotene oxidation, which then combines
with a second radical to form an addition product. The formation
of alkyl- and alkoxyl-containing addition products indicates
that both may add directly to b-carotene. In contrast, peroxyl
radical addition yields an unstable intermediate radical
adduct that collapses to an epoxide and releases an alkoxyl
radical.