Oleoresin from the Humble Superfruit.
Extracts of Solanum lycopersicum for Lycopene Yellow-Red

Tomato Oloeresin, the extract of lycopene from tomato is a dark-red viscous liquid. While in current times, tomato enjoys high demand in almost every cuisine, salads, ketchups and most popular for its powerful anti oxidant properties but this humble fruit also has bizarre history of fear and rejection attached to it. Tomatoes belong to nightshade family of plants and few of these family species are known to be poisonous. Thus in early centuries, people used to fear from eating tomatoes and for long time, these were only grown as ornamental garden plants. In colonial times, rich people feared eating tomatoes and considered it as poisonous and these were eaten by poor people. Tomato also enjoyed long debated history for its status as fruit or vegetable.

The major phytochemical in tomatoes is Lycopene, a red carotenoid imparting tomato its color. Tomato extract contains both trans- and cis-lycopene, also phytoene, β-Carotene, tocopherols as well as non-carotenoid components i.e phospholipids, fatty acids & acylglycerols i.e Palmitic acid, Oleic acid, Linoleic acid. A powerful anti-oxidant due to presence of conjugated double bonds in it and a bioactive ingredient, lycopene is well known to protect skin damages and reduce risk of various cancers. In fact, Lycopene is the carotenoid known to be present in highest concentrations in human plasma.

Lycopene is an excellent coloring agent covering wide hue of colors from yellow through orange up to red. Its finds wide application as food color in beverages, juices, sauces, dressings, confectionery, dairy products, bakery foods, soups, cereals. It is also used as nutritional supplement due to its rich anti-oxidant properties and in medicinal formulations