Process for the preparation of lutein ester concentrate
AssigneeBioActives, LLC
InventorsDoddabele Madhavi, Daniel Kagan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for concentrating trans-lutein esters from marigold oleoresin, which includes blending the oleoresin with a solvent and a co-solvent of lower alkanols and recovering a precipitate enriched with trans-lutein esters at a temperature of above 22° C. The recovery and purity of the trans-lutein esters is greater using the alkanol blend than when using only a lower alkanol in the said blend. The process is most useful using a lower-grade, commercially available oleoresin, thereby helping small producers, who do not have access to higher-grade oleoresin made through backward integration to marigold cultivation and harvest.
Claims13
In a method for concentrating trans-lutein esters from marigold oleoresin by blending a solvent therewith and recovering a precipitate enriched with trans-lutein esters, the improvement which comprises the steps of:
- (a) blending said marigold oleoresin with a mixture of ethanol and a propanol lower alkanols at a temperature of above about 22° C. to form a blend;
- and
- (b) recovering a trans-lutein ester concentrate from said blend, wherein the recovery of the trans-lutein ester content of said concentrate is greater than when using only a lower alkanol in said blend.
2-3. (canceled)
A solvent extraction precipitate enriched in trans-lutein esters from marigold oleoresin containing more than about 55% total carotenolds of which between about 88% and about 92% are trans-lutein esters, a ratio of trans-lutein:cis-lutein content of between about 15:1 and about 40:1, and residual mixed ethanol and a propanol solvent.
12-14. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.