The invention provides a plant-derived texturizing and colouring agent, said agent comprising a plant carotenoid pigment and pectin-containing fibrous plant matter, both of which have been recovered together from the same starting plant material, and an antioxidant, wherein the pectin-containing fibrous plant matter can impart texture to an aqueous composition, the carotenoid can impart colour to an aqueous composition and the antioxidant is present in an amount effective to prevent degradation of a substantial portion of the carotenoid thereby maintaining the colour of the agent. Methods of preparing the texturizing and colouring agent and the use of the same to texturise and colour foodstuff, beverage, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, cosmetic or personal hygiene compositions are further provided.

The invention provides a plant-derived texturizing and colouring agent, said agent comprising a plant carotenoid pigment and pectin-containing fibrous plant matter, both of which have been recovered together from the same starting plant material, and an antioxidant, wherein the pectin-containing fibrous plant matter can impart texture to an aqueous composition, the carotenoid can impart colour to an aqueous composition and the antioxidant is present in an amount effective to prevent degradation of a substantial portion of the carotenoid thereby maintaining the colour of the agent. Methods of preparing the texturizing and colouring agent and the use of the same to texturise and colour foodstuff, beverage, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, cosmetic or personal hygiene compositions are further provided.

The present disclosure provides a preparation method of carotenoid agent. The preparation method provided in present disclosure includes: mixing a suspended organic dispersion phase of a carotenoid crystal with a first organic solvent in a spiral coil of a coil heat exchanger to form a mixed solution, with the carotenoid crystal in the suspended organic phase of the carotenoid crystal being dissolved in the first organic solvent to obtain an oil phase matrix of the carotenoid dissolution solution, wherein the temperature inside the spiral coil is from 50? C. to 70? C. In the present disclosure, the carotenoid crystal is dissolved in the first organic solvent at 50? C. to 70? C., effectively avoiding the drawbacks of isomerization reaction of the carotenoid agent when it is dissolved in traditional preparation methods.

The present invention provides egg replacement compositions comprising at least 14 wt% of protein(s) from a vegetable source, sodium chloride, natural vegetable oil and water, wherein the composition comprises less than 4% of hydrocolloids or polycarbohydrates. The present invention further provides food products comprising the egg replacement composition. The food products of the present invention have organoleptic properties similar to those of a natural egg.

The present invention provides egg replacement compositions comprising at least 14 wt% of protein(s) from a vegetable source, sodium chloride, natural vegetable oil and water, wherein the composition comprises less than 4% of hydrocolloids or polycarbohydrates. The present invention further provides food products comprising the egg replacement composition. The food products of the present invention have organoleptic properties similar to those of a natural egg.

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing spray-dried powders. During the process, a solvent is used. The process is done in a continuous manner and such that the emulsification mass ratio is low when removal of the solvent is started. Preferred solvents are isopropyl acetate and ethyl acetate. The invention also relates to a set-up to run the inventive process at industrial scale.

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing spray-dried powders. During the process, a solvent is used. The process is done in a continuous manner and such that the emulsification mass ratio is low when removal of the solvent is started. Preferred solvents are isopropyl acetate and ethyl acetate. The invention also relates to a set-up to run the inventive process at industrial scale.

The present invention relates to beadlets comprising at least one carotenoid and matrix material, which comprise wax(es) and/or fat(s) with a drop point of between 30 to 85 C., as well as to the production of such beadlets and to the use of such beadlets in compositions.

The present invention relates to beadlets comprising at least one carotenoid and matrix material, which comprise wax(es) and/or fat(s) with a drop point of between 30 to 85 C., as well as to the production of such beadlets and to the use of such beadlets in compositions.

The present invention is directed to a bixin form, wherein the bixin is microencapsulated, and preferably whereby the particle size of the inner phase of the bixin form when measured in water by Photon Correlation Spectroscopy (Beckman Coulter N4 Plus Submicron Particle Sizer) is in the range of from 100 to 400 nm. This bixin form is preferably added to the edible coating during its manufacture in the form of a dispersion or in form of a powder. The edible coating is preferably used for coating confectionary such as chocolate lentils yellow-orange to red-orange. The present invention is also directed to precursors of such edible coatings such as sugar syrup and sugar-free alternatives, both comprising such a bixin form.