Abstract:

Carrots and Pumpkin contain a large number of β-carotene, have a high pharmacological and nutritional value. Because β-carotene contains a large number of delocalized electrons and has photoelectric characteristics, a laser with excitation wavelength of 532 nm can produce resonance Raman effect in the absorption spectrum of β-carotene in Raman scattering. The Raman spectra of carrot and Pumpkin are measured and the image of Raman is made. It is found that the intensity of characteristic Raman peaks of β-carotene in carrot epidermis is higher than that in root core, the intensity of characteristic Raman peaks in the β-carotene of Pumpkin skin is also higher than that in the pulp. This study provides a new method to measure the content of β-carotene by using Raman mapping technique.

Key words: resonance Raman spectroscopy, β-carotene, Raman mapping