Tagetes erecta MARIGOLDS WITH ALTERED CAROTENOID COMPOSITIONS AND RATIOS

Abstract

A marigold plant, a regenerable portion thereof and seed are disclosed whose flower petals, leaves or flower petals and leaves contain one or more of an enhanced neoxanthin plus violaxanthin ratio, an enhanced β-carotene ratio, an enhanced lycopene ratio, an enhanced α-cryptoxanthin ratio, an enhanced phytoene ratio or an enhanced phytofluene ratio relative to that ratio in a non-mutant marigold. A marigold plant, a regenerable portion thereof and seed are also disclosed whose flower petals contain zeaxanthin esters and are substantially free of esters of both neoxanthin and violaxanthin, and wherein zeaxanthin constitutes at least about one-half of the extractable carotenoids when xanthophylls are assayed as alcohols. Also disclosed are methods of preparing such plants, oleoresins and comestible materials that have such carotenoid ratios.

1 - 40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . A composition suitable for use as a food or feed supplement that comprises a comestible medium having dissolved or dispersed therein one or more  Tagetes erecta  marigold-derived pigments selected from the group consisting of neoxanthin plus violaxanthin, β-carotene, lycopene, α-cryptoxanthin, phytoene and phytofluene that are mixed with lutein, wherein the ratio of the amount of any of the enumerated pigments present to the amount of lutein plus the amount of that pigment is greater than about 1:10, wherein xanthophylls are assayed as alcohols. 
     
     
         42 . The composition according to  claim 41  further including zeaxanthin, wherein the ratio of the amount of zeaxanthin to the amount of zeaxanthin plus lutein is greater than about 2:10. 
     
     
         43 . The composition according to  claim 41  wherein said comestible medium is an edible oil. 
     
     
         44 . The composition according to  claim 41  wherein said comestible medium is a pharmaceutically acceptable binding agent. 
     
     
         45 . A composition suitable for use as a food or feed supplement that comprises a mixture of  Tagetes erecta  marigold-derived fatty acid esters of lutein and one or more pigments selected from the group consisting of neoxanthin plus violaxanthin, β-carotene, lycopene, α-cryptoxanthin, phytoene and phytofluene dissolved or dispersed in a comestible medium, wherein the ratio of the amount of any of the enumerated pigments present to the amount of lutein plus the enumerated pigment is greater than about 1:10, when xanthophylls are assayed as alcohols. 
     
     
         46 . The composition according to  claim 45  wherein the β-carotene ratio is greater than about 2:10. 
     
     
         47 . The composition according to  claim 45  wherein the lycopene ratio is greater than about 2:10. 
     
     
         48 . The composition according to  claim 45  wherein said comestible medium is an edible oil. 
     
     
         49 . The composition according to  claim 45  wherein said comestible medium is a pharmaceutically acceptable binding agent. 
     
     
         50 - 62 . (canceled) 
     
     
         63 . A carotenoid composition suitable for use as a food or feed supplement that comprises zeaxanthin esters and one or more other carotenoids that are dissolved or dispersed a comestible medium, said composition being substantially free of esters of both neoxanthin and violaxanthin, wherein zeaxanthin constitutes about 50 to less than 90 percent of the carotenoids, and said one or more other carotenoids is one or more of a carotene, xanthophyll, or xanthophyll ester whose percentage amount is assayed after saponification and in which xanthophyll percentage is determined as alcohols. 
     
     
         64 - 75 . (canceled)