Protective hydrocolloid for active ingredients

Abstract

(Modified) rice endosperm protein is used as novel protective hydrocolloid for active ingredients, especially fat-soluble active ingredients and/or colorants. Included are compositions comprising (modified) rice endosperm protein and at least one active ingredient and to their manufacture, as well as to the (modified) rice endosperm protein itself and its manufacture. These compositions are used for the enrichment, fortification and/or coloration of food, beverages, animal feed, personal care or pharmaceutical compositions, and to food, beverages, animal feed, personal care and pharmaceutical compositions containing such a (modified) rice endosperm protein and such a composition, respectively.

1 . A composition comprising a rice endosperm protein and an active ingredient. 
   
   
       2 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the rice endosperm protein is a modified rice endosperm protein. 
   
   
       3 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the active ingredient is a fat-soluble active ingredient and/or a colorant. 
   
   
       4 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the fat-soluble active ingredient and/or the colorant is a carotene or a structurally related polyene compound, a fat soluble vitamin, a triglyceride rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, an oil soluble UV-A filter, an UV-B filter or a mixture thereof. 
   
   
       5 . The composition according to  claim 4 , wherein the carotene or structurally related polyene compound is a carotenoid such as α-carotene, β-carotene, 8′-apo-β-carotenal, 8′-apo-β-carotenoic acid esters, canthaxanthin, astaxanthin, lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin, crocetin, α-zeacarotene, β-zeacarotene or a mixture thereof. 
   
   
       6 . The composition according to  claim 5 , wherein the carotenoid is β-carotene. 
   
   
       7 . The composition as in  claim 4 , wherein the fat-soluble vitamin is Vitamin A or E. 
   
   
       8 . The composition as in  claim 1 , wherein at least one compound selected from the group consisting of monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides, polysaccharides, glycerol, triglycerides, water-soluble antioxidants and fat-soluble antioxidants is additionally present. 
   
   
       9 . The composition as in  claim 8 , wherein the mono- or disaccharide is sucrose, invert sugar, xylose, glucose, fructose, lactose, maltose, saccharose and sugar alcohols. 
   
   
       10 . The composition as in  claim 8 , wherein the oligo- or polysaccharide is a starch, a starch hydrolysate or a modified starch. 
   
   
       11 . The composition as in  claim 10 , wherein the starch hydrolysate is a dextrin, a malto-dextrin or a glucose syrup. 
   
   
       12 . The composition as in  claim 4 , wherein the triglyceride is a vegetable oil or fat. 
   
   
       13 . The composition as in  claim 1 , wherein a co-emulgator selected from the group consisting of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids, polyglycerol esters of fatty acids, lecithins, and sorbitan monostearate is additionally present. 
   
   
       14 . The composition as in  claim 1 , wherein the (modified) rice endosperm protein has an emulsion capacity of ≧220, preferably of ≧350, more preferably of ≧500. 
   
   
       15 . The composition as in  claim 1 , wherein the (modified) rice endosperm protein has an emulsion activity of ≧0.2, preferably of ≧0.45, more preferably of ≧0.5. 
   
   
       16 . The composition as in  claim 1 , wherein the amount of the (modified) rice endosperm protein is from about 1 to about 70 weight-% and/or the amount of the (fat-soluble) active ingredient and/or colorant is from about 0.1 to about 90 weight-%, based on the total amount of the composition. 
   
   
       17 . The composition as in  claim 1  in the form of a powder. 
   
   
       18 . The composition according to  claim 1  wherein the rice endosperm protein is cross-linked with at least one compound selected from the group consisting of reducing sugars, glycoproteins or glycopeptides. 
   
   
       19 . A process for the manufacture of a composition as claimed in  claim 1  which comprises the following steps:
 I) preparing an aqueous solution or colloidal solution of a (modified) rice endosperm protein,   II) optionally adding at least a water-soluble excipient and/or adjuvant to the solution prepared in step I),   III) preparing a solution or dispersion of at least an active ingredient, preferably of at least a fat-soluble active ingredient and/or colorant, and optionally at least a fat-soluble adjuvant and/or excipient,   IV) mixing the solutions prepared in step I) to III) with each other,   V) homogenising the thus resulting mixture,   VI) optionally adding a cross-linking agent for cross-linking the (modified) rice endosperm protein,   VIa) optionally submitting the mixture resulting after having performed step VII) to enzymatic treatment or heat treatment to cross-link the (modified) rice endosperm protein   VII) optionally converting the dispersion obtained in step V) and/or VI) into a powder,   VII) optionally drying the powder obtained in step VII),   IX) optionally submitting the (dry) powder to heat treatment or to enzymatic treatment to cross-link the (modified) rice endosperm protein,   with the proviso that only step VIa) or step IX) is carried out, but not both, when step VI) is carried out.   
   
   
       20 . The process according to  claim 19 , wherein the enzymatic treatment according to step VIa) or step IX) is a treatment with a cross-linking enzyme, particularly with a transglutaminase. 
   
   
       21 . The process according to  claim 19  wherein the (modified) rice endosperm protein has an emulsion capacity of >220, preferably ≧350, more preferably of ≧500 and an emulsion activity of ≧0.2, preferably of ≧0.45, more preferably of ≧0.5. 
   
   
       22 . A process for the manufacture of a (modified) rice endosperm protein starting from milled rice, whereby before milling the rice bran was removed, comprising the following steps a) to e) with the proviso that at least one of the steps b), c) and d) is carried out:
 a) preparing an aqueous solution or suspension of milled rice, whereby the rice bran was removed before milling, whereby the solution or suspension preferably has a dry mass content of from 0.1 to 30 weight-%, based on the total amount of the aqueous solution or suspension;   b) optionally removing the non-protein part or the protein part of the milled rice, whereby the rice bran was removed before milling, to obtain the rice endosperm protein;   c) optionally modifying the protein part of the milled rice, whereby the rice bran was removed before milling, to obtain modified rice endosperm protein;   d) optionally isolating the (modified) rice endosperm protein;   e) optionally converting the (modified) rice endosperm protein into a solid form.   
   
   
       23 . The process according to  claim 22 , wherein step d) is carried out by centrifugation or filtration, preferably by ultrafiltration. 
   
   
       24 . The process according to  claim 22 , wherein the filtration is performed by using a membrane with a nominal molecular weight cut-off of ≧5 kDa. 
   
   
       25 . The process according to  claim 23 , wherein the removal of the non-protein part (step b) is achieved by treating the milled rice with non-protein degrading enzymes, deactivating the enzymes, separating and removing the non-protein part from the protein part of the milled rice. 
   
   
       26 . The process according to  claim 25 , wherein the non-protein degrading enzymes are starch-degrading enzymes, cellulose-degrading enzymes or mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       27 . The process according to  claim 25 , wherein the separation of the non-protein part is achieved by centrifugation followed by its washing off. 
   
   
       28 . The process according to  claim 23 , wherein step c) is achieved by treating the protein part of the milled rice with alkaline, neutral and/or acid proteases. 
   
   
       29 . The process according to  claim 28 , wherein the protein part of the milled rice is treated subsequently by two different alkaline proteases. 
   
   
       30 . The process according to  claim 29 , wherein one of these proteases is a serine specific protease and the other is a cysteine specific protease. 
   
   
       31 . The process according to  claim 23 , wherein the removal of the protein part (step b) is achieved by adjusting the pH of the “milled rice” solution or suspension to a value of from 7 to 12. 
   
   
       32 . The process according to  claim 23 , wherein step e) is achieved by drying, preferably by freeze drying or spray drying. 
   
   
       33 . A (modified) rice endosperm protein obtainable by any process according to  claim 23 . 
   
   
       34 . A (modified) rice endosperm protein having an emulsion capacity of ≧220, preferably of ≧350, more preferably of ≧500. 
   
   
       35 . The (modified) rice endosperm protein according to  claim 34 , wherein it additionally has an emulsion activity of ≧0.2, preferably of ≧0.45, more preferably of ≧0.5. 
   
   
       36 . Use of a composition as claimed in  claim 1  for the enrichment, fortification and/or coloration of food, beverages, animal feed, personal care or pharmaceutical compositions. 
   
   
       37 . Food, beverages, animal feed, personal care and pharmaceutical compositions containing a composition as claimed in  claim 1 . 
   
   
       38 . Food, beverages, animal feed, personal care and pharmaceutical compositions containing a (modified) rice endosperm protein as claimed in  claim 33 . 
   
   
       39 . Use of (modified) rice endosperm protein, preferably such as claimed in  claim 33 , as protective hydrocolloid for active ingredients, especially fat-soluble active ingredients and/or colorants.