Colorants lutein

Solvent extraction removes chlorophyll and other pigments to give a light-colored product but increases processing costs. Furthermore, solvent extraction removes p-carotene and reduces vitamin A activity (89) (see Terpenoids Vitamins). Supercritical CO2 extraction at 30 and 70 MPa (4,350 and 10,150 psi) and 40°C removed 90 and 70% carotene and lutein, respectively, from alfalfa LPC (96). This process avoids organic solvent residues and recovers valuable by-products. 

Fett-entziehung, /. fat extraction, -farbe, /. fat-soluble color, oil color, -farbstoff, m. color for fats (Micros.) fat stain (Bio-chem.) lipochrome, lutein, -fleck, -flecken, m. grease spot. 

Most of this amount is in the form of fucoxanthin in various algae and in the three main carotenoids of green leaves lutein, violaxanthin, and neoxanthin. Others produced in much smaller amounts but found widely are p-carotene and zeaxanthin. The other pigments found in certain plants are lycopene and capsanthin (Figure 2.2.1). Colorant preparations have been made from all of these compounds and obviously the composition of a colorant extract reflects the profile of the starting material. Carotenoids are probably the best known of the food colorants derived from natural sources. ... 

The maximum spectrometric absorption of lutein (C40H56O2, mol wt 568.9, xanthophyll, (3R,3.S,6.R)-p,8-carotene-3,3.-diol) is found between 453 and 481 nm. Its solubihty in ethanol is greater than that of the carotenoids. It is somewhat less sensitive to oxidation and heat degradation than P-carotene. It contributes yellow color." ... 

Fruifs and vegetables also contain ofher bioactive substances such as polyphenols (including well-known pigments anthocyanins, flavonols) and non-provitamin A carotenoids (mainly lycopene, lutein, and zeaxanthin) that may have protective effects on chronic diseases. Polyphenols and carotenoids are known to display antioxidant activities, counteracting oxidative alterations in cells. Besides these antioxidant properties, these colored bioactive substances may exert other actions on cell signaling and gene expression. 

Thonsands of paprika varieties belong to the Capsicum genns and they vary widely in their sizes, shapes, colors, flavors, and pungency levels. The major carotenoids fonnd in red paprika are capsanthin and capsornbin, which posses k end gronp. Yellow pigments such as lutein, zeaxanthin, violaxanthin, and 3-carotene... 

Marigold petals are rich sources of xanthophyUs, mainly lutein esters. To increase the coloring power, chemical extraction of the colorant from flower meal is performed or a new enzymatic procedure is applied. It was shown that treatment with cellulases or mixed saprophyte microorganisms or solid state fermentation improved the xanthophyll extraction yield. ... 

Batista, A.P. et al., Phycocyanin and Lutein colored food emulsions relation between pigment concentration and structural properties, in Proceedings of 3rd International Congress on Pigments in Food, Le Berre, Qnunper, France, 2004, 118. 

Dunaliella natural P-carotene is distributed widely in many different markets under three categories p-carotene extracts, Dunaliella powder for human use, dried Dunaliella for feed use. Extracted purified P-carotene is sold mostly in vegetable oil in bulk concentrations from 1 to 20% to color various food products and for personal use in soft gels usually containing 5 mg P-carotene per gel. Purified natural p-carotene is generally accompanied by the other Dunaliella carotenoids, primarily lutein, neoxanthin, zeaxan-thin, violaxanthin, cryptoxanthin, and a-carotene for a total of approximately 15% of carotene concentration. This compound is marketed as carotenoids mix. ... 

Tissue samples obtained from the different colored regions of the larvae were separately analyzed by HPLC. The white, black, and yellow bands of Monarchs all contained a single, major carotenoid component, lutein (all / -3,3 - d i h yd roxy-13, e - ca ro t e n e), Figure 25.3a. The amount of lutein present in the black and white bands was markedly lower ( 15x) than that in the yellow bands, see below. A small quantity of 13-m-lulein and zeaxanthin were observed to elute immediately following lutein in the chromatogram and the lutein peak was preceded by a unique metabolite that is formed by the cleavage of lutein, see Section 25.4. 

The different colored bands within individual animals were found to contain significantly different amounts of lutein. Punches of the black, white, and yellow bands were analyzed from each of nine different animals. Because of the challenge in handling and analyzing the small punches of tissue, three to eight punches were collected, pooled, and analyzed as a single sample. This procedure... 

Some of the yellow bands are appreciably wider than others, 2 versus 0.5 mm, see Figure 25.2a and b. A gradient in the coloration of the larger band was observable. Through the use of small diameter trephines, 0.39 mm, three punches could be obtained at three different positions across the band as seen in Figure 25.2c. A comparison of these punches, taken from four different animals, showed that the concentration of lutein varies consistently from the front to the back of the band,... 

FIGURE 25.8 The relative variation in the concentration of lutein among the colored regions of the four species of butterfly larvae. 

The yellow coloration in the Monarch as well as the larva of three other species of butterfly from South Florida is exclusively due to the specific accumulation of exceptionally high levels of lutein producing a pigmented epidermis. This active accumulation, reminiscent of the specific accumulation that occurs in the primate macula, indicates that butterfly larva is an excellent animal model for the study of carotenoid transport and binding. As such, elucidation of the mechanism of transport and binding of lutein in the epidermis and other tissues of these butterfly larvae may provide insight into xanthophyll uptake within the human eye (Bhosale et al. 2004). 

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