Zeinoxanthin
A rare yellow carotenoid found in corn and linked to eye health
No single value: Zeinoxanthin is a material, and its colour varies. The background shows its family, yellow.
Zeinoxanthin is a yellow pigment from the carotenoid family, present in corn and some other plants. It is known for its antioxidant properties and is found in the human eye, where it helps protect against oxidative stress.
- Found naturally in corn and some other plants
- Isolated from yellow maize kernels
- Present in the human eye
- Acts as an antioxidant
- Used in lutein biosynthesis
What colour is Zeinoxanthin?
Zeinoxanthin is a yellow pigment belonging to the carotenoid group. It is not commonly found and is mainly present in corn and some other plants. In the human body, zeinoxanthin is found in the eye, where it plays a protective role. Its colour is a clear yellow, typical of many carotenoids.
Where does Zeinoxanthin come from?
The name 'zeinoxanthin' is formed from Greek roots: 'zeinos' for grain and 'xanthus' for yellow. This points to its presence in grains like corn. The pigment was first isolated from yellow maize kernels, showing its natural link to staple crops.
How is Zeinoxanthin made?
To obtain zeinoxanthin, scientists extract it from corn gluten using solvents. The process involves separating the pigment through chromatography and then crystallising it using a mix of benzene and methanol. This careful method yields pure zeinoxanthin crystals.
Where Zeinoxanthin is used
Zeinoxanthin is important in the biosynthesis of lutein, another carotenoid. It is present in foods such as oranges and is found in the tissues of the human eye. Its antioxidant properties make it valuable in supporting eye health.
Yellow around the world
What the yellow family means from country to country.
The yellow disc of the Aboriginal flag is the sun, giver of life. The flag was designed by the Luritja artist Harold Thomas and first flown in Adelaide in 1971.
Sacred and holySource: Australian Aboriginal flagAt the gaye holud, held a day or two before a wedding, relatives rub turmeric paste on the bride and groom. Guests dress in yellow and orange.
Weddings and marriageFestival and celebrationJoySource: Gaye holudOn Pohela Falgun, the first day of spring, young women wear yellow and orange saris, a shade called basanti, with flowers in their hair.
Festival and celebrationNature and renewalJoySource: Pohela FalgunThe Flemish flag is a black lion on yellow, and the Walloon flag a red cockerel on yellow. The language communities are often shown by these colours.
Politics and protestPrideSource: Flag of FlandersThe flag is yellow, the colour of the Sultan. By custom, ordinary people did not wear yellow in the ruler's presence.
Royalty and powerPrideSource: Flag of BruneiThe national football team plays in a yellow shirt with green trim, the canarinho. It was chosen in a newspaper contest after the 1950 World Cup final was lost in white.
Festival and celebrationPrideJoySource: Brazil national football teamShades and relatives of Zeinoxanthin
Zeinoxanthin is closely related to zeaxanthin, another yellow carotenoid. Both share similar roles in plants and in the human body, especially in eye tissue. They can be confused due to their similar names and functions.
Questions people ask about Zeinoxanthin
What colour is zeinoxanthin?
Zeinoxanthin is yellow, typical of carotenoid pigments found in some plants and grains.
Where does the name zeinoxanthin come from?
Its name combines Greek words for 'grain' and 'yellow', reflecting its presence in corn.
Where is zeinoxanthin found?
It is found in corn, some other plants, and in the tissues of the human eye.
What is zeinoxanthin used for?
It plays a role in making lutein, another carotenoid important for eye health.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Zeinoxanthin", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Rang rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. The swatch is an approximation: named colours are not fixed standards, and every screen shows them a little differently. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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