BEADLETS COMPRISING CAROTENOIDS

Abstract

The present invention relates to process for producing beadlets comprising at least one carotenoid and matrix material, which comprise wax(es) and/or fat(s) with a melting point of between 40 to 85 C., as well as to the production of such beadlets and to the use of such beadlets in compositions.

Claims

1. A process for producing beadlets using a spray chilled process or a spray cooling process, wherein the process comprises the following steps: (a) forming a mixture by mixing (i) 25 wt-% to 45 wt-%, based on the total weight of the beadlets, of at least one carotenoid and (ii) 55 wt-% to 75 wt-% of a matrix material which comprises at least one unsaturated (non-hydrogenated), partially saturated (partially hydrogenated) or fully saturated (fully hydrogenated) wax and/or fat having a melting point of from 40 C. to 85 C., and (b) atomizing the mixture of the at least one carotenoid and the matrix material into a chamber and contacting the atomized mixture within the chamber with an air stream which is sufficiently cool to cause droplets of the mixture to solidify and thereby form beadlets having an average particle diameter of 50 m to 1000 m and with the at least one carotenoid having a particle size (d0.9) inside the beadlets of below 30 m.

2. The process according to claim 1, which further comprises grinding the mixture of the at least one carotenoid and matrix material before atomizing.

3. The process according to claim 1, wherein the with the proviso that, beadlets comprising: (i) 33 wt-% to 34 wt-%, based on the total weight of the beadlets, of -carotene, and (ii) 66 wt-% to 67 wt-%, based on the total weight of the beadlets, of glycerin monostearate, are excluded.

4. The process according to claim 1, wherein the at least one carotenoid is present in the mixture in an amount of 25-40 wt-%, based on the total weight of the beadlets=.

5. The process according to claim 1, wherein the at least one carotenoid is present in the mixture in an amount of 25-35 wt-%, based on the total weight of the beadlets.

6. The process according to claim 1, wherein the melting point of the matrix material is 45 C. to 80 C.

7. The process according to claim 1, wherein the carotenoid is at least one selected from the group consisting of -carotene, -carotene, 8-apo--carotenal, 8-apo--carotenoic acid esters, canthaxanthin, astaxanthin, lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin and crocetin.

8. The process according to claim 1, wherein the at least one carotenoid is -carotene.

9. The process according to claim 1, wherein the wax and/or fat is at least one selected from the group consisting of glycerin monostearate, candelilla wax, palmitic acid, stearic acid, glycerintristearate, glycerin monobehenate, glycerin dibehenate, glycerin tribehenate, behenic acid, polyclyceryl palmito stearate, hydrogenated and nonhydrogenated refined vegetable fat made from palm oil, and hydrogenated rapeseed oil.

10. The process according to claim 1, wherein step (a) comprises mixing at least one further auxiliary agent with the at least one carotenoid and the matrix material.

11. The process according to claim 10, wherein the auxiliary agent comprises at least one antioxidant.

12. The process according to claim 11, wherein the antioxidant is at least one selected from the group consisting of vitamin E, vitamin C, ascorbyl palmitate, 2,6-di-tert-butyl-p-cresol, butylated hydroxyanisole and ethoxyquin.

13. The process according to claim 10, wherein the at least one further auxiliary agent is present in an amount of 0 wt-% to 5 wt-%, based on the total weight of the beadlets.

14. A process for the production of food, feed and personal care products, wherein the process comprises incorporating into a food, feed or personal care product an effective amount of beadlets comprising: (i) 55 wt-% to 75 wt-%, based on the total weight of the beadlets, of a matrix material, and (ii) 25 wt-% to 45 wt-%, based on the total weight of the beadlets, of carotenoid particles comprised of at least one carotenoid within the matrix material, wherein the matrix material comprises at least one unsaturated (non-hydrogenated), partially saturated (partially hydrogenated) or fully saturated (fully hydrogenated) wax and/or fat having a melting point of from 40 C. to 85 C., and wherein the beadlets have an average particle diameter of 50 m to 1000 m, and wherein the carotenoid particles within the matrix material of the beadlets have a particle size (d0.9) of below 30 .

15. The process according to claim 14, wherein the amount of the at least one carotenoid in the food, feed and personal care product is 1 to 12 ppm.

16. The process according to claim 14, wherein a food product is produced.

17. The process according to claim 16, wherein the food product is a soft drink.

18. The process according to claim 16, wherein the food product is a margarine.

Description

EXAMPLE 1

[0085] 161 kg of Revel C (hydrogenated, refined vegetable fat, made out of palm oil, with a melting point of 58 to 62 C.) have been put into a vessel and heated up to 85 C. under inert gas. 1.6 kg dl--tocopherol has been added under stirring to the melted Revel C. Afterwards 80 kg of crystalline -carotene was added to the reaction mixture. The mixture is stirred and afterward at 85 C. grinded by using a colloid mill. In a second grinding step the -carotene was further reduced in particle size by use of an agitated ball mill (Netzsch, LMZ 2), filled with 0.7 mm yttrium stabilized zirconium beads. The final suspension was than sprayed with a temperature of 90 C. The applied main air (bottom air) in the tower had a temperature of 5 C. To stabilize the spraying process a small amount of 85 C. hot air were added from the top of the tower to the spray nozzle. Non-sticky and non-dusty beadlets with a particle size (d 0.1 ) of 267 m, (d 0.5) of 373 m, (d 0.9) of 520 m have been obtained. The particle size of the carotenoid particles (inside the beadlets) was (d 0.1) of 1 m, (d 0.5) of 3 m, (d 0.9) of 9 m.

EXAMPLE 2

[0086] 150 kg of Parteck LUB STA 50 (stearic acid 50 vegetable grade with a melting point in the range of 68 to 70 C.) have been put into a vessel and heated up to 85 C. under inert gas. 1.5 kg dl--tocopherol has been added under stirring to the melted Parteck LUB STA 50.Afterwards 75 kg of crystalline -carotene was added to the reaction mixture. The mixture is stirred and afterward at 85 C. grinded by using a colloid mill. In a second grinding step the -carotene was further reduced in particle size by use of an agitated ball mill (Netzsch, LMZ 2), filled with 0.7 mm yttrium stabilized zirconium beads. The final suspension was than sprayed with a temperature of 90 C. The reaction mixture was spray dried by using the spray chilling technology. The applied main air (bottom air) in the tower had a temperature of 5 C. To stabilize the spraying process a small amount of 85 C. hot air were added from the top of the tower to the spray nozzle. Non-sticky and non-dusty beadlets with a particle size (d 0.1) of 302 m, (d 0.5) of 414 m, (d 0.9) of 565 m have been obtained. The particle size of the carotenoid particles (inside the beadlets) was (d 0.1) of 1 m, (d 0.5) of 4 m, (d 0.9) of 10 m.

EXAMPLE 3

[0087] 30.14 kg of Revel A (fractionated, not hydrogenated, refined vegetable fat, made out of palm oil, with a melting point of 58 to 62 C.) have been put into a vessel and heated up to 85 C. under inert gas. 0.32 kg dl--tocopherol has been added under stirring to the melted Revel A. Afterwards 15 kg of crystalline -carotene was added to the reaction mixture. The mixture is stirred and afterward at 85 C. grinded by using a colloid mill. The suspension was than sprayed with a temperature of 90 C. The reaction mixture was spray dried by using the spray chilling technology. The applied main air (bottom air) in the tower had a temperature of 5 C. To stabilize the spraying process a small amount of 85 C. hot air were added from the top of the tower to the spray nozzle. Non-sticky and non-dusty beadlets with a particle size (d 0.1) of 263 m, (d 0.5) of 361 m, (d 0.9) of 495 m have been obtained. The particle size of the carotenoid particles (inside the beadlets) was (d 0.1) of 2 m, (d 0.5) of 6 m, (d 0.9) of 22 m.

EXAMPLE 4

[0088] 25.1 kg of Remi A-212 (fractionated, not hydrogenated vegetable fat, made out of palm oil, with a melting point of 61 to 63 C.) have been put into a vessel and heated up to 85 C. under inert gas. 0.3 kg dl--tocopherol has been added under stirring to the melted hydrogenated soybean oil. Afterwards 12.5 kg of crystalline -carotene was added to the reaction mixture. The mixture is stirred and afterward at 85 C. grinded by using a colloid mill. The suspension was than sprayed with a temperature of 90 C. The reaction mixture was spray dried by using the spray chilling technology. The applied main air (bottom air) in the tower had a temperature of 5 C. To stabilize the spraying process a small amount of 85 C. hot air were added from the top of the tower to the spray nozzle. Non-sticky and non-dusty beadlets with a particle size (d 0.1) of 333 m, (d 0.5) of 480 m, (d 0.9) of 688 m have been obtained. The particle size of the carotenoid particles (inside the beadlets) was (d 0.1) of 2 m, (d 0.5) of 8 m, (d 0.9) of 29 m.

EXAMPLE 5

[0089] 30 kg of Sojal Hydriert Ph. Eur. 7.0 (hydrogenated soybean oil with a melting point in the range of 68 to 72 C.) have been put into a vessel and heated up to 85 C. under inert gas. 0.46 kg dl--tocopherol has been added under stirring to the melted hydrogenated soybean oil. Afterwards 15 kg of crystalline -carotene was added to the reaction mixture. The mixture is stirred and afterward at 85 C. grinded by using a colloid mill. The suspension was than sprayed with a temperature of 90 C. The reaction mixture was spray dried by using the spray chilling technology. The applied main air (bottom air) in the tower had a temperature of 5 C. To stabilize the spraying process a small amount of 85 C. hot air were added from the top of the tower to the spray nozzle. Non-sticky and non-dusty beadlets with a particle size (d 0.1) of 353 m, (d 0.5) of 562 82 m, (d 0.9) of 883 m have been obtained. The particle size of the carotenoid particles (inside the beadlets) was (d 0.1) of 1 m, (d 0.5) of 4 m, (d 0.9) of 23 m.

EXAMPLE 6

[0090] 12.55 kg of Remi A-212 (fractionated, not hydrogenated vegetable fat, made out of palm oil, with a melting point of 61 to 63 C.) and 12.55 kg of Remi ST-296 (fractionated, not hydrogenated vegetable fat, made out of palm oil, with a melting point of 52 to 56 C.) have been put into a vessel and heated up to 85 C. under inert gas. 0.3 kg dl--tocopherol has been added under stirring to the melt. Afterwards 12.5 kg of crystalline -carotene was added to the reaction mixture. The mixture is stirred and afterward at 85 C. grinded by using a colloid mill. The suspension was than sprayed with a temperature of 90 C. The reaction mixture was spray dried by using the spray chilling technology. The applied main air (bottom air) in the tower had a temperature of 5 C. To stabilize the spraying process a small amount of 90 C. hot air were added from the top of the tower to the spray nozzle. Non-sticky and non-dusty beadlets with a particle size (d 0.1) of 301 m, (d 0.5) of 414 m, (d 0.9) of 567 m have been obtained. The particle size of the carotenoid particles (inside the beadlets) was (d 0.1) of 2 m, (d 0.5) of 8 m, (d 0.9) of 28 m.

EXAMPLE 7

[0091] 30 kg of Rbl H70 (hydrogenated rapeseed oil with a melting point between 70 to 74 C.) have been put into a vessel and heated up to 90 C. under inert gas. 0.46 kg dl--tocopherol has been added under stirring to the melted Rbl H70 . Afterwards 15 kg of crystalline -carotene was added to the reaction mixture. The mixture is stirred and afterward at 90 C. grinded by using a colloid mill. The suspension was than sprayed with a temperature of 90 C. The reaction mixture was spray dried by using the spray chilling technology. The applied main air (bottom air) in the tower had a temperature of 5 C. To stabilize the spraying process a small amount of 90 C. hot air were added from the top of the tower to the spray nozzle. Non-sticky and non-dusty beadlets with a particle size (d 0.1) of 387 m, (d 0.5) of 607 m, (d 0.9) of 954 m have been obtained. The particle size of the carotenoid particles (inside the beadlets) was (d 0.1) of 1 m, (d 0.5) of 4 m, (d 0.9) of 21 m.

[0092] The beadlets of Example 1-7 can be incorporated into food, feed and personal care product (usually in such an amount that the carotenoid content in such products is 1 to 12 ppm). Preferably they are used in soft drinks or margarines.