Vitamin A is a group of unsaturated nutritional organic compounds, that includes retinol, retinal, retinoic acid, and several provitamin A carotenoids, and beta-carotene. Vitamin A has multiple functions: it is important for growth and development, for the maintenance of the immune system and good vision.itamin A can be found in two principal forms in foods 1  : Retinol, the form of vitamin A absorbed when eating animal food sources, is a yellow, fat-soluble substance. 2  Since the pure alcohol form is unstable, the vitamin is found in tissues in a form of retinyl ester.