The present invention provides a tomato-derived composition comprising lycopene crystals at a concentration of at least 70% (w/w) and methylene chloride-insoluble material at a concentration of 10% (w/w) or less, wherein the size of said lycopene crystals is less than 1 micron. The present invention also encompasses a process for preparing said composition from tomato pulp.

The present invention comprises a novel natural yellow colorant system to enhance the appearance of pickled and/or fermented vegetable products. Individually all-natural yellow pigments failed light stability investigations in pickled and/or fermented vegetable products—either the yellow hue of the brine solution faded, or the pulp/skin of the vegetable turned white, or both. Surprisingly combinations of these same individual natural yellow pigments not only created brine hues and vegetable coloring comparable to FD&C Yellow #5 products but remained stable in accelerated light stability investigations designed to mimic the real-time shelf-life of the products.

The present invention comprises a novel natural yellow colorant system to enhance the appearance of pickled and/or fermented vegetable products. Individually all-natural yellow pigments failed light stability investigations in pickled and/or fermented vegetable products—either the yellow hue of the brine solution faded, or the pulp/skin of the vegetable turned white, or both. Surprisingly combinations of these same individual natural yellow pigments not only created brine hues and vegetable coloring comparable to FD&C Yellow #5 products but remained stable in accelerated light stability investigations designed to mimic the real-time shelf-life of the products.

Disclosed are methods of producing carotenoid compounds in a methylotrophic bacterial host cell. Such a host cell may be an unmodified Methylobacterium, spontaneous mutant, or transformed cell, any of which exhibit favorable properties, such as overproduction of carotenoid compounds, increased carbon flux, improved growth, or the production of additional nutrients, such as protein, vitamins, antioxidants, or fatty acids. Also disclosed are feed compositions for use in aquaculture, or as animal feed, or as human nutritional supplements containing processed or unprocessed biomass from such cells, as are methods of preparation of the feed compositions.

Disclosed are methods of producing carotenoid compounds in a methylotrophic bacterial host cell. Such a host cell may be an unmodified Methylobacterium, spontaneous mutant, or transformed cell, any of which exhibit favorable properties, such as overproduction of carotenoid compounds, increased carbon flux, improved growth, or the production of additional nutrients, such as protein, vitamins, antioxidants, or fatty acids. Also disclosed are feed compositions for use in aquaculture, or as animal feed, or as human nutritional supplements containing processed or unprocessed biomass from such cells, as are methods of preparation of the feed compositions.

A carrot concentrate having a. between 0.115 and 0.25 wt. % Carotenoid (relative to the total weight of the carrot concentrate); b. between 7-24 wt. % edible oil (relative to the total weight of the carrot concentrate); c. between 20 and 75 wt. % (DM) of sugars (relative to the dry matter of the carrot concentrate); wherein the dry matter content of the carrot concentrate ranges between 40 and 75 wt. % relative to the total of the concentrate, wherein the wt. % (DM) means the wt. % of the component relative to the dry matter content, wherein the ratio of edible oil to carotenoids ranges between 40 and 210, and wherein the carrot concentrate has a color diluted in yoghurt, at dosage equivalent to a carotenoid concentration of 0.3795 mg/100 g, wherein the color is defined in the CIELAB color space, and wherein the color is described by a L*-value ranging between 93 and 98, an a*-value ranging between 2.5 and +1.0, and a b*-value ranging between 21.5 and 30. A process for making the carrot concentrate and food products containing the carrot concentrate.

The invention relates a powderous composition, which can be produced easily and which can be used in many fields of application. The claims are directed to a powderous composition comprising (i) up to 70 weight-% (wt-%), based on the total weight of the powderous composition, of at least one carotenoid and/or one carotenoid derivative, and (ii) 5-30 wt-%, based on the total weight of the powderous composition, of at least one D-glycose oligomer (preferably a maltodextrin) (G01) having a DE of <18, and (iii) 5-30 wt-%, based on the total weight of the powderous composition, of at least one D-glycose oligomer (preferably a maltodextrin) (G02) having a DE of >18, and (iv) 5-70 wt-%, based on the total weight of the powderous composition, of at least one modified polysaccharide, as well as to a food, feed or personal care formulation comprising at least one powderous composition.

The invention relates a powderous composition, which can be produced easily and which can be used in many fields of application. The claims are directed to a powderous composition comprising (i) up to 70 weight-% (wt-%), based on the total weight of the powderous composition, of at least one carotenoid and/or one carotenoid derivative, and (ii) 5-30 wt-%, based on the total weight of the powderous composition, of at least one D-glycose oligomer (preferably a maltodextrin) (G01) having a DE of <18, and (iii) 5-30 wt-%, based on the total weight of the powderous composition, of at least one D-glycose oligomer (preferably a maltodextrin) (G02) having a DE of >18, and (iv) 5-70 wt-%, based on the total weight of the powderous composition, of at least one modified polysaccharide, as well as to a food, feed or personal care formulation comprising at least one powderous composition.

This disclosure relates to a method for improving a sensory characteristic of a carotenoid composition including providing a carotenoid composition into a reaction vessel and holding the carotenoid composition at a holding temperature between 50 C. to 180 C. while purging atmosphere from the reaction vessel for a suitable time to remove volatile odor-causing impurities from the carotenoid composition. This disclosure also relates to carotenoid food additive formulations prepared according to the above method.

This disclosure relates to a method for improving a sensory characteristic of a carotenoid composition including providing a carotenoid composition into a reaction vessel and holding the carotenoid composition at a holding temperature between 50 C. to 180 C. while purging atmosphere from the reaction vessel for a suitable time to remove volatile odor-causing impurities from the carotenoid composition. This disclosure also relates to carotenoid food additive formulations prepared according to the above method.