Effect of beta-cyclodextrin in improving the correlation between lycopene concentration and ORAC values.

Lycopene, a lipophilic antioxidant, plays a crucial role in biological systems. It may play an important role in human biological systems by providing protection against cardiovascular disease and some cancers and by boosting the immune system. The oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) has been validated as an index of antioxidant activity for many hydrophilic antioxidants but not for lycopene.