Benders'dictionary of nutrition and food technology

94carnauba wax A hard wax from the leaf buds and leaves of theBrazilian wax palm Copernicia cerifera, used in candy glaze.carnitine γ-Amino-β-hydroxybutyric acid trimethylbetaine,required for the transport of fatty acids into mitochondria foroxidation. There is no evidence that it is a dietary essential forhuman beings, since it can readily be formed from lysine,although there is some evidence that increased intake mayenhance the work capacity of muscles. A dietary essential forsome insects, at one time called vitamin B T .carnosine A dipeptide, β-alanylhistidine, found in the muscle ofmost animals, function not known.carob Seeds and pod of the tree Ceratonia siliqua, also known aslocust bean and St John’s bread. It contains a sweet pulp whichis rich in sugar and gums, as well as containing 21% protein and1.5% fat. It is used as animal feed, and to make confectionery(as a substitute for chocolate).Carob gum (locust bean gum) is extracted from the carob andis used as an emulsifier and stabiliser (E-410) as well as in cosmeticsand as a size for textiles.caroenum Roman; very sweet cooking wine, reduced to one-thirdits volume by boiling and mixed with honey.Carophyll TM Apo-8-carotenal, a carotene derivative (seecarotenals).carotenals Also known as apo-carotenals. Aldehydes formed byasymmetric oxidative cleavage of carotene by carotene dioxygenase(EC 1.13.11.21); retinal is the carotenal formed by15-15′ cleavage of carotene. Depending on where the carotenemolecule is split, the products are variously 8′-, 10′- and 12′-apocarotenal,which may be oxidised to yield retinaic acid, butcannot form retinol.See also vitamin a.carotene The red and orange pigments of many plants, obviousin carrots, red palm oil and yellow maize, but masked by chlorophyllin leaves. Three main carotenes in foods are important asprecursors of vitamin a: α-, β- and γ-carotene, which are also usedas food colours (E-160a). Plant foods contain a considerablenumber of other carotenes, most of which are not precursors ofvitamin A.Carotene is converted into vitamin A (retinol) in the intestinalmucosa, or is absorbed unchanged. 6 µg of β-carotene, and12µg of other provitamin A carotenoids, are nutritionally equivalentto 1 µg of preformed vitamin A. About 30% of the vitaminA in western diets, and considerably more in diets in less developedcountries, comes from carotene.In addition to their role as precursors of vitamin A, carotenesare important as antioxidant nutrients.