Water dispersible compositions containing natural hydrophilic water-insoluble pigments, methods of preparing same and their use
AssigneeChr. Hansen A/S
InventorsPer Pihlmann Isager, Marianne Winning
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Abstract
Ready-to-use water dispersible pigment compositions containing waer-insoluble, hydrophilic pigments are provided. The compositions comprise a stable dispersion of the pigment such as a porphyrin pigment, carmine, curcumin and a carotenoid in the form of bodies of an average size which is at the most 10 μm is provided. The pigment bodies are dispersed without the use of a surface active substance in an aqueous phase comprising a hydrocolloid. The natural pigment compositions which are useful for coloring of food products and pharmaceuticals do not migrate in the products and they are acid stable. The compositions are useful in coating compositions for tablets and dragees.
Claims28
A ready-to-use water dispersible pigment composition that contains in excess of 10% by weight of water, the composition comprising a dispersion of a water-insoluble hydrophilic natural pigment in the form of bodies of an average size which is at the most 10 μm, said bodies being dispersed in the absence of a surface active substance in an aqueous phase comprising a hydrocolloid, the composition, when it is added to a food product or a pharmaceutical product comprising multiple, separated compartments, whereby the composition is dispersed in one or more selected compartments, essentially does not migrate from said compartment(s) where it is dispersed into other compartments.
A ready-to-use water dispersible pigment composition comprising a dispersion of a water-insoluble, hydrophilic natural pigment in the form of bodies of an average size which is at the most 10 μm, said bodies being dispersed in the absence of a surface active substance in an aqueous phase comprising a hydrocolloid, the composition containing less than 5% by weight of water, subject to the limitation that when the pigment is carmine or spray dried norbixin the hydrocolloid is not gelatin, said composition, when it is added to a food product or a pharmaceutical product comprising multiple, separated compartments, whereby the composition is dispersed in one or more selected compartments, essentially does not migrate from said compartment(s) where it is dispersed into other compartments.
A ready-to-use water-dispersible composition comprising a dispersion of a hydrophilic natural pigment in the form of bodies of an average size which is at the most 10 μm, said bodies being dispersed in the absence of a surface active substance in an aqueous phase comprising a hydrocolloid, the composition containing in excess of 10% by weight of water, in the manufacturing of an edible product whereby the composition is dispersed in an aqueous phase of said edible food product.
A ready-to-use water-dispersible composition comprising a dispersion of a hydrophilic natural pigment in the form of bodies of an average size which is at the most 10 μm, said bodies being dispersed in the absence of a surface active substance in an aqueous phase comprising a hydrocolloid, the composition containing in excess of 10% by weight of water, in the manufacturing of a pharmaceutical product.
A method of preparing a ready-to-use water dispersible pigment composition, said method comprising the steps of:
- i) preparing an alkaline aqueous solution comprising a water-insoluble, hydrophilic natural pigment,
- ii) preparing an aqueous dispersion or solution of a hydrocolloid,
- iii) mixing the alkaline aqueous solution with the aqueous dispersion or solution of a hydrocolloid and
- iv) if desired, adjusting the pH to a level which causes the pigment to precipitate, to obtain the composition comprising the pigment in the form of a dispersion of pigment bodies having an average size of at the most 10 μm, the composition containing at least 10% by weight water.
A method of preparing a ready-to-use water dispersible pigment composition, said method comprising the steps of:
- i) preparing an alkaline aqueous solution comprising a water-insoluble, hydrophilic natural pigment followed by decreasing the pH to a level which causes the pigment to precipitate, resulting in a dispersion of precipitated pigment,
- ii) preparing an aqueous dispersion or solution of a hydrocolloid,
- iii) mixing the dispersion comprising the precipitated pigment of step i) and the dispersion or solution of a hydrocolloid of step ii), to obtain the composition comprising the pigment in the form of a dispersion of pigment bodies having an average size of at the most 10 μm, the composition containing at least 10% by weight water.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.