Lycopene is a substance from the carotenoids group. This very carotenoid adds red coloring to the tomatoes. In the course of thorough and all-round research of this substance it was learned that lycopene possess pronounced antioxidant properties. Interest in lycopene as a vitamin-antioxidant has increased drastically during the last decade, after its radio-protective, hypolipidemic and antiproliferative properties had been demonstrated.

Among carotenoids lycopene stands out due to high antioxidative activity (almost three times higher than that of beta-carotene) and the absence of toxic effects even in high doses. It was learned that the incidence of coronary heart disease and mortality caused by it were lower among the population of those countries that show substantially high lycopene intake.