A light‐mediated study of carotenoids in carrots (Daucus carota) using resonance Raman spectroscopy

Abstract

In photosynthetic systems, carotenoids play significant roles, and the prime role is light harvesting, then transferred to the photosynthetic apparatus for photosynthesis. Understanding carotenoids is a significant concern as it has a vital role in photosynthesis, and it also acts as a protective pigment in the biosystem. Carotenoids are widely distributed in almost all photosynthetic biosystems but highly accumulated in carrots, especially in (Daucus carota). Therefore, carrots can be a simpler model to understand the formation of carotenoids and their regulation with the help of exposure to sunlight. Raman spectroscopy is a noninvasive method to study molecular signature; it can be an ideal tool to understand carotenoids pigments in the growing stages of carrots. In this work, using resonance Raman spectroscopy with 532‐nm wavelength laser excitation, we were able to detect predominant carotenoid bands such as β‐carotene, α‐carotene, and lutein, at 1517–1519 cm−1 and 1521–1524 cm−1 with high peak intensities. This work gives a clear description and evidence of how light plays a profound effect on the activation and regulation of carotenoids. We observed β‐carotene in the nonphotosynthetic region of the plant, as a photoprotection of developing life is one of the significant roles of carotenoids, and Raman bands of carotenoids can be considered as the biomarker of photoprotection of developing life.

Raman spectroscopic signals of carotenoid distribution during stages of cell growth of unicellular organisms and plant cells

“…44 In many living organisms and natural products, the Raman spectral band of β-carotene can occur between 1531 and 1515 cm À1 . 25,38 Astaxanthin from salmon fillet displayed Raman bands at 1518 cm À145 that is approximately similar to the Raman bands we observed in Figures 2 and 3 at 1519 cm À1 . The investigated spectra in the early stages of zebra fish larval in Figure 3 and Triops shrimps in Figure 2 showed Raman bands around 962-963, 1004-1007, 1158, and 1519 cm À1 that are characteristic bands of carotenoids; however, they are the characteristic's bands of astaxanthin.…”

“…The optical images and Raman measurements were performed on carrot seeds as mentioned in previous work. 25 In short, the individual carrot plant samples were placed on a microscopic glass slide for the spectroscopic measurement. The Raman spectrum was measured with a micro-Raman spectrometer (Renishaw1000 B, UK) with a grating (1800/mm) coupled with a microscope (Leica, Germany).…”

“…16 In our previous study, we have clearly observed the essential roles of plastids in carotenogenic activity in carrot seeds with the Raman signature at 1523, 1157, and 1005 cm À1 , corresponding to the lutein component. 25…”

Tribute to Derek Long: An instant snapshot of the development of Raman spectroscopy and its application in the fields of instrumentation and methodology, solid‐state materials, cultural heritage, DFT modeling and applications in biology, microbiology, and medicine

“…Badgujar et al ( A Light‐Mediated Study of Carotenoids in Carrots [ Daucus carota ] using Resonance Raman Spectroscopy , National Dong Hwa University, Taiwan) [ 50 ] have studied carotenoids. Carotenoids are widely distributed in almost all photosynthetic biosystems, but they are highly accumulated in carrots, especially in D .…”

Combined Heat and Mass Transfer Associated with Kinetics Models for Analyzing Convective Stepwise Drying of Carrot Cubes

“…Carrots are a popular vegetable and have a long-chain polyene structure [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]. When newly harvested carrots contain high moisture content, this needs to be reduced to a safe level to inhibit the growth of microorganisms and prolong shelf life during storage [ 4 ].…”