The colour of the cow's milk is slightly yellowish due to the presence of which of the following substance?

Option 4 : Carotene

The correct answer is Carotene.

• The yellow color in cow milk is due to the presence of carotene.
• The amount of yellow color in milk depends upon the amount of green feed given to cows.

• This is because, plants do not contain vitamin A, but contain its precursors (provitamin A), the carotenoids.
• These are converted to vitamin A when ingested by animals.
• Carotenoids are the orange and yellow pigments of fruits and vegetables.
• Green leafy vegetables also contain carotenoids, but the green color of chlorophyll masks them.

• Xanthophyll: the oxygenated derivatives of carotenoids are known as xanthophylls.
• Riboflavin: also known as vitamin B2, belongs to yellow fluorescent pigments called flavins. Riboflavins are orange-yellow in color and upon reduction change to a colorless form. Good sources of vitamin B 2 are milk, green leafy vegetables, eggs, cheese, etc.
• Ribulose: is a ketopentose — a monosaccharide containing five carbon atoms, and including a ketone functional group. It has chemical formula C₅H₁₀O₅. Ribulose sugars are composed in the pentose phosphate pathway from arabinose. They are important in the formation of many bioactive substances.