Astaxanthin formulations

This pigment is recognized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (21 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 73) as a color additive exempted from certification (Subpart A, Foods, Section 73.35, Astaxanthin). Formulations containing astaxanthin include soft gelatin capsules containing 100 mg equivalents of total carotenoids, a skin care... 

As has been pointed out earlier in this chapter, the dietary consumption and historical medicinal use of carotenoids has been well documented. In the modern age, in addition to crocin, 3.7, and norbixin, 3.8, several carotenoids have become extremely important commercially. These include, in particular, astaxanthin, 3.6 (fish, swine, and poultry feed, and recently human nutritional supplements) lutein, 3.4, and zeaxanthin, 3.3 (animal feed and poultry egg production, human nutritional supplements) and lycopene, 3.2 (human nutritional supplements). The inherent lipophilicity of these compounds has limited their potential applications as hydrophilic additives without significant formulation efforts in the diet, the lipid content of the meal increases the absorption of these nutrients, however, parenteral administration to potentially effective therapeutic levels requires separate formulation that is sometimes ineffective or toxic (Lockwood et al. 2003). 

Odeberg, J.M. et al.. Oral bioavaUability of the antioxidant astaxanthin in humans is enhanced by incorporation of lipid based formulations, Eur. J. Pharm. Set, 19, 299, 2003. 

In addition to applications as direct and indirect feeds mentioned above, the heterotrophic production of microalgae can potentially provide a cost-effective source of nutrient components, e.g. marine protein, PUFA or astaxanthin, that can be incorporated into formulated feeds for larval stages and beyond. Harel and Place (2004) provide more detail on the broad applications of heterotrophic production of marine algae for aquaculture. 

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