Question

The pigment responsible for the red colour of ripe tomato is

• A. Xanthophyll
• B. Lycopene
• C. Chlorophyll
• D. Anthocyanin

Hint:

Remember important pigments: Chlorophyll = Green Xanthophyll = Yellow Carotene = Orange Lycopene = Red (Tomato) Anthocyanin = Purple/Blue/Red in flowers and fruits

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Frame the question.
We need the pigment that gives a ripe tomato its red colour.
Step 2: Understand ripening.
As a fruit ripens, green chlorophyll breaks down and another pigment builds up.
Step 3: Identify the red pigment.
Lycopene is a red carotenoid that gathers in ripe tomatoes and gives the bright red shade.
Step 4: Reject xanthophyll and chlorophyll.
Xanthophyll gives yellow tones, and chlorophyll gives the green of leaves and unripe fruit.
Step 5: Reject anthocyanin.
Anthocyanin gives red, purple or blue in many flowers and fruits but is not the tomato red pigment.
Step 6: Conclude.
The red colour of ripe tomato is due to lycopene, which is option 2.
\[ \boxed{\text{Lycopene}} \]