Lycopene formulation

Carotenoids are also present in animal products such as eggs, lobsters, greyflsh, and various types of hsh. In higher plants, they occur in photosynthetic tissues and choloroplasts where their color is masked by that of the more predominant green chlorophyll. The best known are P-carotene and lycopene but others are also used as food colorants a-carotene, y-carotene, bixin, norbixin, capsanthin, lycopene, and P-apo-8 -carotenal, the ethyl ester of P-apo-8-carotenic acid. These are Upid-soluble compounds, but the chemical industry manufactures water-dispersible preparations by formulating coUoid suspensions by emulsifying the carotenoids or by dispersing them in appropriate colloids. ... 

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). 

The structures of four of the synthetic carotenoids (beta-carotene, canthaxanthin, beta-apo-8 -carotenol, beta-apo-8 -carotenoic acid) are shown in Fig. 8.2. By virtue of their conjugated double bond structure, they are susceptible to oxidation but formulations with antioxidants were developed to minimize oxidation. Carotenoids are classified as oil soluble but most foods require water soluble colorants thus three approaches were used to provide water dispersible preparations. These included formulation of colloidal suspensions, emulsification of oily solutions, and dispersion in suitable colloids. The Hoffman-LaRoche firm pioneered the development of synthetic carotenoid colorants and they obviously chose candidates with better technological properties. For example, the red canthaxanthin is similar in color to lycopene but much more stable. Carotenoid colorants are appropriate for a wide variety of foods.10 Regulations differ in other countries but the only synthetic carotenoids allowed in foods in the US are beta-carotene, canthaxanthin, and beta-8-carotenol. 

Ring closure at the ends of the lycopene molecule to form the carotenes can be formulated most readily through an acid-catalyzed carbocation mechanism (Eq. 22-11). Loss of one or the other of two protons adjacent to the positive charge leads to the (3 ring of (3-carotene or to the a ring of a-carotene.110/123a Compounds with c only one ring may also be... 

Another carotenoid, lycopene, when applied topically at 0.03% in a gel-emulsion followed by UV irradiation reduced erythematous reactions significantly more than vehicle alone in human volunteers. The topical application of 0.5% vitamin E and 1% vitamin C in the same base also reduced erythematous reactions, but not significantly. None of these topical formulations showed a marked difference for hydration or skin barrier function.108... 

Ring closure at the ends of the lycopene molecule to form the carotenes can be formulated most readily through an acid-catalyzed carbocation mechanism (Eq. 

RicheUe M, BortUk K, liardet S, et al. 2002. A food-based formulation provides lycopene with the same bioavaUabiUty to humans as that from tomato paste. J Nutr 132 404-408. 

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