Astaxanthin
Astaxanthin is a reddish carotenoid pigment of immense commercial value synthesized by certain microalgae, macroalgae, bacteria and yeasts.
Microalga Haematococcus pluvialis is the most abundant source of astaxanthin. It is also found in salmons, trouts, krills and shrimps as their diet primarily comprises astaxanthin containing microalgae.
Naturally occurring astaxanthin is 3,3'-Dihydroxy-beta, beta-carotene-4,4'-dione. Though cis and trans isomeric forms of astaxanthin exist in nature, trans isomeric form is majorly found.
Synthetic astaxanthin tends to have formed isomers during chemical reactions and can be unsafe; hence natural astaxanthin is recommended for human consumption.
Astaxanthin is a highly potent natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. Hence astaxanthin-containing food has been promoted in a healthy diet as it is reported to have therapeutic potential against several diseases, including cancer, heart diseases and neurodegenerative diseases. Oral administration of astaxanthin is clinically proved to have anti-ageing skincare effects.
Astaxanthin has been used as a feed additive for the colouration of farm-raised fish and crustaceans and fortification of eggs by laying hens.
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Analysis Packages for Astaxanthin
The Celignis Analysis Package(s) that determine this constituent are listed below:
P74 Pigments in Seaweed |
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| Fucoxanthin, Astaxanthin, Chlorophyll-c, Chlorophyll-a, Chlorophyll-b, Lutein, beta-Carotene, Neoxanthin, Antheraxanthin, Violaxanthin |
P150 Plant Pigments |
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| Chlorophyll-a, Chlorophyll-b, Lutein, beta-Carotene, Neoxanthin, Astaxanthin, Zeaxanthin, Antheraxanthin, Violaxanthin |
Equipment Used for Astaxanthin Analysis
| Ion Chromatography A Dionex ICS-3000 system that is equipmed with electrochemical, conductivity, and ultraviolet-visible detectors. |
Additional Material
We can determine the Astaxanthin content of biomass, click here to learn more about our various biomass analysis methods.We can determine the Astaxanthin content of seaweed, click here to learn more about our various methods for analysing seaweed.
