The invention relates to a temperature stable formulation having a water soluble natural coloring agent, which formulation is a water-in-oil emulsion, in which the coloring agent is contained in the aqueous phase and is stable at an increased temperature, e.g. at at least 72° C. The coloring agent can be thermally instable at the pH of the food, into which the formulation was mixed.

The invention relates to a temperature stable formulation having a water soluble natural coloring agent, which formulation is a water-in-oil emulsion, in which the coloring agent is contained in the aqueous phase and is stable at an increased temperature, e.g. at at least 72° C. The coloring agent can be thermally instable at the pH of the food, into which the formulation was mixed.

A method of recovering organic components from an aqueous biomass in the method includes: (i) providing an aqueous biomass containing organic components; (ii) treatment of the aqueous biomass to release intracellular organic components from within cells of the biomass to form a biomass suspension; addition of a water-immiscible component to the biomass suspension to form a mixture comprising biomass and water-immiscible component; (iv) subjecting the mixture comprising biomass and water-immiscible component to high shear to form a water-in-water-immiscible-component emulsion; and (v) separating the water-immiscible component phase from the water/aqueous phase.

A method of recovering organic components from an aqueous biomass in the method includes: (i) providing an aqueous biomass containing organic components; (ii) treatment of the aqueous biomass to release intracellular organic components from within cells of the biomass to form a biomass suspension; addition of a water-immiscible component to the biomass suspension to form a mixture comprising biomass and water-immiscible component; (iv) subjecting the mixture comprising biomass and water-immiscible component to high shear to form a water-in-water-immiscible-component emulsion; and (v) separating the water-immiscible component phase from the water/aqueous phase.

The present invention provides beta-cryptoxanthin crystals from plant source and a process for its preparation. The present invention particularly relates to a process for the preparation of high purity beta-cryptoxanthin crystals comprising at least about 10% by weight total xanthophylls, of which at least about 75% by weight is trans-beta-cryptoxanthin and the remaining including beta-carotene, and trace amounts of trans-capsanthin and other carotenoids derived from the plant source, including capsicum fruits. The production of beta-cryptoxanthin crystals with high content of trans-beta-cryptoxanthin makes it ideal and suitable for use as a provitamin A source material and also has potential effects on improving bone health and inhibiting bone resorption.

The present invention provides beta-cryptoxanthin crystals from plant source and a process for its preparation. The present invention particularly relates to a process for the preparation of high purity beta-cryptoxanthin crystals comprising at least about 10% by weight total xanthophylls, of which at least about 75% by weight is trans-beta-cryptoxanthin and the remaining including beta-carotene, and trace amounts of trans-capsanthin and other carotenoids derived from the plant source, including capsicum fruits. The production of beta-cryptoxanthin crystals with high content of trans-beta-cryptoxanthin makes it ideal and suitable for use as a provitamin A source material and also has potential effects on improving bone health and inhibiting bone resorption.

A process for producing the gardenia blue pigment is provided. The process is easy to operate and suitable for industry and the obtained gardenia blue pigment is bright and suitable for industrial application.

A process for producing the gardenia blue pigment is provided. The process is easy to operate and suitable for industry and the obtained gardenia blue pigment is bright and suitable for industrial application.

An object of the present invention is to provide a high-quality anthocyanin pigment composition more efficiently and at a lower cost than red cabbage pigment, which has not been achieved by the prior art.

This invention provides the following anthocyanin pigment composition derived from a plant other than red cabbage, the composition having the following features (A), (B), and (C):

(A) an aqueous solution containing the anthocyanin pigment composition and adjusted to a pH of 3 with a citrate buffer (pH: 3.0) has a maximum absorption wavelength in the range of 500 to 550 nm in the visible light region;
(B) when a pigment-composition-containing aqueous solution containing the anthocyanin pigment composition, 0.2 mass % citric acid, 20 mass % ethanol, and water is prepared so as to have a color value E.sup.10%.sub.1cm of 10, 1 mL of the aqueous solution is sealed in a 20-mL vial, and the vial is stored at 50° C. for 5 days and further maintained at 40° C. for 30 minutes, the total amount of methyl mercaptan, dimethyl disulfide, and dimethyl trisulfide in the gas in the sealed space of the vial is 100 pg/mL or less; and (C) the gas in the sealed space of the vial contains 5-methylthiopentanenitrile when the vial is maintained at 40° C. for 30 minutes in (B) above.

An object of the present invention is to provide a high-quality anthocyanin pigment composition more efficiently and at a lower cost than red cabbage pigment, which has not been achieved by the prior art.

This invention provides the following anthocyanin pigment composition derived from a plant other than red cabbage, the composition having the following features (A), (B), and (C):

(A) an aqueous solution containing the anthocyanin pigment composition and adjusted to a pH of 3 with a citrate buffer (pH: 3.0) has a maximum absorption wavelength in the range of 500 to 550 nm in the visible light region;
(B) when a pigment-composition-containing aqueous solution containing the anthocyanin pigment composition, 0.2 mass % citric acid, 20 mass % ethanol, and water is prepared so as to have a color value E.sup.10%.sub.1cm of 10, 1 mL of the aqueous solution is sealed in a 20-mL vial, and the vial is stored at 50° C. for 5 days and further maintained at 40° C. for 30 minutes, the total amount of methyl mercaptan, dimethyl disulfide, and dimethyl trisulfide in the gas in the sealed space of the vial is 100 pg/mL or less; and (C) the gas in the sealed space of the vial contains 5-methylthiopentanenitrile when the vial is maintained at 40° C. for 30 minutes in (B) above.