Blakeslea trispora are further investigating whether the fungus "Blakeslea trispora" could be a potent effector of anti-aging because of its ability to efficiently mass produce amounts of lycopene. β-carotene is also a relevant component for human health and chronic diseases. β-carotene is a molecule which displays a red-orange pigment. Therefore, it is used as a coloring agent for food products. β-carotene is a member of carotenes which are highly unsaturated isoprene derivatives. Because "Blakeslea trispora" has an effective ability to produce great amount of β-carotene from lycopene, "Blakeslea trispora" is the main organism used for its production on an industrial scale. β-carotenes
Lycopene two terminal isoprene groups of lycopene can be cyclized to produce beta-carotene, which can then be transformed into a wide variety of xanthophylls. Lycopene is the pigment in tomato-containing sauces, turning plastic cookware orange, and is insoluble in water. It can be dissolved only in organic solvents and oils. Because of its nonpolarity, lycopene in food preparations will stain any sufficiently porous material, including most plastics. To remove this staining, the plastics can be soaked in a solution containing a small amount of household bleach. Absorption of lycopene requires that it be combined with bile salts and fat to form