Ready-to-use, stable emulsion

Abstract

The present invention relates to a stable emulsion, ready for use, of fat-soluble vitamins or carotenoids, a process for the preparation thereof, and the use thereof as addition to animal feeds, human foods and dietary supplements, and cosmetic and pharmaceutical compositions.

Claims

1. A stable emulsion ready for use, comprising a) a dispersed oil phase which comprises from 2 to 6% by weight of a carotenoid completely dissolved in 7 to 20% by weight of a medium-chain triglyceride, wherein the carotenoid is selected from the group consisting of canthaxanthin, astaxanthin, zeaxanthin, lutein, lycopene and -carotene; and b) an aqueous phase which comprises from 30 to 55% by weight of glycerol and from 10 to 25% by weight of starch sodium octenyl succinate as water-soluble protective colloid, wherein the content of a further substance with an emulsifying effect besides the starch sodium octenyl succinate is less than 2% by weight, and wherein the % by weight data are in each case based on the total weight of the emulsion.

2. The stable emulsion ready for use according to claim 1, where the dispersed oil phase comprises more than 90% by weight of the carotenoid and the medium-chain triglyceride based on the total weight of the dispersed oil phase.

3. The stable emulsion ready for use according to claim 1 wherein the content of the carotenoid is from 3 to 6% by weight based on the total weight of the emulsion, and wherein the stable emulsion comprises less than 0.5% by weight of ascorbyl palmitate based on the total weight of the emulsion.

4. The stable emulsion ready for use according to claim 1, where the dispersed oil phase is in form of oil droplets having an average particle size of from 250 to 500 nm.

5. A process for preparing a stable emulsion ready for use according to claim 1, comprising: a) mixing glycerol and water and adding the starch sodium octenyl succinate to the mixture of glycerol and water to form the aqueous phase, b) dissolving the carotenoid in the medium-chain triglyceride by heating to form the dispersed oil phase, and c) introducing the dispersed oil phase to the aqueous phase, emulsifying the dispersed oil phase and the aqueous phase together to obtain an emulsion and subsequently homogenizing the emulsion.

6. A composition comprising the stable emulsion ready for use according to claim 1, wherein the composition is a cosmetic or pharmaceutical composition.

7. A composition comprising the stable emulsion ready for use according to claim 1, wherein the composition is a beverage.

8. A composition comprising the stable emulsion ready for use according to claim 1, wherein the composition is an animal feed, human food, or dietary supplement.

Description

EXAMPLES

Example 1

(1) 145 g of water and 200 g of glycerol were mixed in a 1 l glass beaker and heated to 60 C. 93 g of modified starch (Purity Gum 2000 from National Starch) were added to this mixture. The mixture was left to swell at 60 C. for 60 minutes.

(2) 65.5 g of -carotene dispersion (Lucarotin 33 MCT, BASF, 33% by weight of -carotene) in a 250 ml three-necked flask were heated in an oil bath heated to 180 C. until the -carotene was completely dissolved. The oil phase was then introduced into the aqueous phase while agitating with a tooth-ringed disperser (Ultra Turrax) at 10 000 rpm. After an emulsifying time of 15 minutes, the emulsion was finely emulsified using a high-pressure homogenizer at 700 bar. A water-dispersible emulsion with 4% by weight of -carotene was obtained. When dispersed in water, the -carotene-oil droplets had an average particle size of 275 nm.