1980 Volume 46 Issue 3 Pages 337-340
The two stereoisomeric β, ε-carotene-3, 3'-diol were isolated from lutein fraction of the integuments in various fishes (44 species). These carotenoids were identified as lutein and 3'-epilutein (calthaxanthin) by two direct thin-layer chromatographic comparison with authentic lutein, natural calthaxanthin, synthetic lutein and synthetic 3'-epilutein.
Lutein fraction, which has hitherto been identified as a single carotenoid, was a mixture of two stereoisomers, lutein and 3'-epilutein.
From the experimental results about lutein fraction from extensive species of fishes, 3'-epilutein was generally dominant in the integuments although the ratio of lutein to 3'-epilutein varied to the species of fish.