Carotenoid formulation

Abstract

The present invention discloses the use of a lycopene coated with a water non-soluble thin film comprising amphiphilic protein polymer for coloring with red color, foods, pharmaceuticals or cosmetics having fat and/or oil contents higher than 5%. The invention further discloses a process for the preparation of stable lycopene formulation comprising: (a) treating an isolated protein to form a protein in a molecular form; (b) dispersing lycopene in an aqueous solution comprising an isolated protein in a molecular form; (c) grinding said dispersion to form lycopene particle size of 1 to 10 μm forming an homogenized mixture comprising line particles; and optionally (d) drying the homogenized mixture.

1 . In a method for coloring a food, pharmaceutical or cosmetic having a fat and/or oil content greater than 5%, with a red coloring material, the improvement wherein 
 said red coloring material is a lycopene coated with a water non-soluble thin film comprising an amphiphilic protein polymer.    
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said lycopene is selected from the group consisting of synthetic lycopene, tomato pulp, and lycopene extracted from biomass.  
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said amphiphilic protein is selected from the group consisting of hydrophobically modified soy proteins, whey protein isolates, egg albumin, lysozymes, modified pea proteins, gelatin and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said water non-soluble thin film further comprises a colloid.  
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein said colloid is selected from the group consisting of gum arabic, xanthan gum, amidated starch, amidated pectins, food grade polysaccharides, pectins, alginates, xanthan, tragacanth, modified pectins, modified alginates, modified xanthan, modified tragacanth, modified starch, moditified chitosans, maltodextrin, modified methylcellulose, galactomannan and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         6 . A process for the preparation of stable lycopene formulation comprising 
 (a) treating an isolated protein to form a protein in a molecular form;    (b) dispersing lycopene in an aqueous solution comprising an isolated protein in a molecular form;    (c) grinding said dispersion to form lycopene particle size of 1 to 10 μm forming an homogenized mixture comprising fine particles; and optionally    (d) drying the homogenized mixture.    
     
     
         7 . A process according to  claim 6 , further comprising the step of mixing said lycopene particles with at least one colloid in water followed by drying.  
     
     
         8 . A process according to claims  6 , wherein said lycopene is selected from the group consisting of synthetic lycopene, tomato pulp, and lycopene extracted from biomass.  
     
     
         9 . A process according to  claim 6 , wherein said isolated protein is amphiphilic and is selected from the group consisting of hydrophobically modified soy proteins, whey protein isolates, egg albumin, lysozymes, modified pea proteins, gelatin and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein said colloid is is selected from the group consisting of gum arabic, xanthan gum, amidated starch, amidated pectins, food grade polysaccharides, pectins, alginates, xanthan, tragacanth, modified pectins, modified alginates, modified xanthan, modified tragacanth, modified starch, moditified chitosans, maltodextrin, modified methylcellulose, galactomannan and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         11 . A process according to claims  6 , wherein said lycopene formulation further comprises an antioxidant and/or emulsifier.  
     
     
         12 . A process according to  claim 11 , wherein said antioxidant is ascorbic acid, citric acid, tocopherol or a mixture of two or more thereof.  
     
     
         13 . A lycopene containing dry powder obtainable by the process of  claim 6 .  
     
     
         14 . A lycopene containing dry powder obtainable by the process of  claim 7 .  
     
     
         15 . A lycopene containing dry powder as claimed in  claim 13  with a lycopene content between 1% to 15% (w/w).  
     
     
         16 . A method for coloring foods, cosmetics or pharmaceuticals having an oil or fat contents higher than 5% with a natural red color, comprising the addition of a lycopene containing powder of  claim 13 .  
     
     
         17 . A method for coloring foods, cosmetics or pharmaceuticals having an oil or fat contents higher than 5% with a natural red color, comprising the addition of a lycopene containing powder of  claim 14 .  
     
     
         18 . A lycopene coated with a water non-soluble thin film comprising at least one polymer for use in coloring with red color foods, pharmaceuticals or cosmetics having fat or oil contents higher than 5%.  
     
     
         19 . A coated lycopene according to  claim 18 , wherein said lycopene is selected from the group consisting of synthetic lycopene, tomato pulp, or lycopene extracted from biomass.  
     
     
         20 . A coated lycopene according to  claim 18 , wherein said amphiphilic protein is selected from the group consisting of hydrophobically modified soy proteins, whey protein isolates, bovine serum albumin, caseines, lactoglobulins, egg albumin, lysozymes, modified pea proteins, gelatin and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         21 . A coated lycopene according to  claim 18 , wherein said water non-soluble thin film further comprises a colloid.  
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein said colloid is selected from the group consisting of gum arabic, xanthan gum, amidated starch, amidated pectins, food grade polysaccharides, pectins, alginates, xanthan, tragacanth, modified pectins, modified alginates, modified xanthan, modified tragacanth, modified starch, moditified chitosans, maltodextrin, modified methylcellulose, galactomannan and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         23 . The dry powder of  claim 15  having a lycopene content of 4-8%.  
     
     
         24 . The coated lycopene of  claim 19 , wherein the lycopene is extracted from tomato pulp.  
     
     
         25 . The process of  claim 8 , wherein the lycopene is extracted from tomato pulp.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the lycopene is extracted from tomato pulp.