INTRODUCTIONCarotenoids are the red

INTRODUCTION
Carotenoids are the red, orange, and yellow pigments found
in the photosynthetic tissues of plants, algae, and microorganisms,
and they are responsible for the feather and flesh colors of
some birds and fish. Aside from coloration, these compounds
are also important for plant and animal health. Carotenoids
are tetraterpenes (Stahl and Sies, 1996) that are characterized
by a conjugated system of double bonds with delocalized
¼-electrons (Britton, 1995). Being extremely hydrophobic,
these compounds are usually found in the core of membranes
or other hydrophobic locations (Britton, 1995), where they are
thought to function as antioxidants and play special roles in
protection of tissues from damage caused by light and oxygen
(Britton et al., 1995).
Increasing awareness of potential health benefits of certain
carotenoids, has brought a surge of interest in creating functional
food products containing carotenoid ingredients. However, the
same properties that make carotenoids useful in healthy tissue
function, create challenges in preventing the degradation
of carotenoids in food products. In order to produce stable