Lycopene, a C 40 poly isoprenoid compound
containing 13 double bonds, is the most abundant
carotenoid, accounting for approximately 80–90% of the total
pigment contents in tomatoes. With its 11 conjugated and two
non-conjugated double bonds, it was found to be a more efficient
antioxidant (singlet oxygen quencher) than b-carotene, acarotene,
and a-tocopherol