Cantharellus cinnabarinus Canthaxanthin

Unknown until 1950 when E. Haxo isolated it from an edible mushroom Cantharellus cinnabarinus canthaxanthin has since been identified in sea trout, algae, daphnia, salmon, brine shrimp, and several species of flamingo. Crystalline canthaxanthin is prepared synthetically from acetone or P-ionone using procedures similar to those used for -carotene and P-apo-8 -carotenal (55). 

Carotenoids present in the orange-red American toadstool, Cantharellus cinnabarinus, are composed almost entirely of canthaxanthin (463). 

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