Lycopene is a carotene, a type of hydrocarbon found in plants and other photosynthetic organisms. It is a bright red pigment and the main carotenoid in tomatoes. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is composed of only hydrogen and carbon atoms, and is highly unsaturated, meaning it contains many double bonds between carbon atoms. As such, it is non-polar, meaning it does not have a net electric charge and is not soluble in water.