Lycopenaemia

Over the last few years, carotenoids have been studied extensively for thei r antioxidant activity and the supposed protective effects against cancer, in particular those of the digestive tract.(1-4) Consumption of carotenoids as anti-ageing agents is also widely diffuse.(5) Moreover, the diffusion o f slimming and vegetarian diets, and thus the consumption of fruit and vege tables, which contain large amount of carotenoids, is increasing. On the ot her hand, the excessive dietary intake of carotenoid-containing foods may c ause different afflictions characterized by a 'yellow- orange' discoloratio n of the skin.(6-8) One of these carotenoids, the lycopene, present in high concentrations in tomatoes, may cause a rare cutaneous disease called lyco penaemia.(9)