The present invention relates to a powderous composition comprising at least one carotenoid and/or one carotenoid derivative, which can be produced easily and which can be used in many fields of application.

Examples of carotenoids and carotenoid derivatives are a- or b-carotene, 8'-apo-p-carotenal, 8'-apo-p-carotenoic acid esters such as the ethyl ester, canthaxanthin, astaxanthin, astaxan- thin esters, lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin or crocetin and their derivatives.

Solid powderous formulations comprising at least one carotenoid and/or one carotenoid derivative need to be stable and easy to be produced. Furthermore, the formulation should also be handled easy, which means the flowability of the formulation should be good and the dispersibility in water as well.

Surprisingly, it has been found that a powderous composition comprising at least two different kinds of maltodextrins and at least one dietary fiber (such as inulin) has improved flowability properties.

Therefore, the present invention relates to a powderous composition (I) 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 and/or a dried glucose syrup) (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, and

(v) at least 1 wt-%, based on the total weight of the powderous composition, of at least one water-soluble dietary fiber.

It is clear that the percentages always add up to 100.

The composition according to the present invention is a dry powder. Nevertheless, it can also comprise some water, which originates from the emulsion. Usually and preferably, the water content is less than 5 wt-%, based on the total weight of the powderous composition. Usually less than 4wt-%.

The advantageous and surprising effect of the present formulation is that water-soluble dietary fibers are not really known as being helpful for the flowability for a dry formulation. Therefore, it is a real advantage is that a very good flowable formulation is obtained and due to fact that one water-soluble dietary fiber is incorporated an additional health effect can be achieved.

Preferably, the at least one carotenoid and/or one carotenoid derivative is chosen from the group consisting of a- or b-carotene, 8'-apo-p-carotenal, 8'-apo-p-carotenoic acid esters such as the ethyl ester, canthaxanthin, astaxanthin, astaxanthin esters, lycopene, lutein, zeaxan- thin or crocetin and their derivatives.

Therefore, the present invention relates to a powderous composition (II), which is powderous composition (I), wherein the at least one carotenoid and/or one carotenoid derivative is chosen from the group consisting of a- or b-carotene, 8'-apo^-carotenal, 8'-apo^-carotenoic acid esters such as the ethyl ester, canthaxanthin, astaxanthin, astaxanthin esters, lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin or crocetin and their derivatives.

The powderous composition comprises up to 70 wt-% of the at least one carotenoid and/or one carotenoid derivative, based on the total weight of the powderous composition.

The composition can contain also as less about 0.1 wt-% of the at least one carotenoid and/or one carotenoid derivative, based on the total weight of the powderous composition.

Preferably the powderous composition comprises 1 - 60 wt-% of the at least one carotenoid and/or one carotenoid derivative, based on the total weight of the powderous composition.

Therefore, the present invention relates to a powderous composition (III), which is powderous composition (I) or (II), wherein the composition comprises 0.1 - 70 wt-% of the at least one carotenoid and/or one carotenoid derivative, based on the total weight of the powderous composition.

Therefore, the present invention relates to a powderous composition (III’), which is powderous composition (I) or (II), wherein the composition comprises 1 - 60 wt-% of the at least one carotenoid and/or one carotenoid derivative, based on the total weight of the powderous composition.

Furthermore, the powderous composition according to the present invention comprises two different kind of D-glycose oligomer (preferably a maltodextrin and/ora (dried) glucose syrup). These two different kinds of D-glycose oligomer (preferably a maltodextrin and/or a (dried) glucose syrup) differ in view of their DE value.

Dextrose equivalent (DE) is a measure of the amount of reducing sugars present in a sugar product, relative to glucose, expressed as a percentage on a dry basis. For example, a maltodextrin with a DE of 10 would have 10% of the reducing power of dextrose (which has a DE of 100). Maltose, a disaccharide made of two glucose (dextrose) molecules has a DE of 52, correcting for the water loss in molecular weight when the two molecules are combined (180/342). Sucrose actually has a DE of 0 even though it is a disaccharide, because both reducing groups of the monosaccharides that make it are connected, so there are no remaining reducing groups. For solutions made from starch, it is an estimate of the percentage reducing sugars present in the total starch product.

In all glucose polymers, from the native starch to glucose syrup, the molecular chain begins with a reducing sugar, containing a free aldehyde. As the starch is hydrolyzed, the molecules become shorter and more reducing sugars are present. Because different reducing sugars (e.g. fructose and glucose) have different sweetness, it is incorrect to assume that there is any direct relationship between DE and sweetness.

The DE describes the degree of conversion of starch to dextrose: starch is close to DE = 0, glucose/dextrose is DE = 100 (percent).

The standard method of determining DE is the Lane-Eynon titration, based on the reduction of copper(ll) sulfate in an alkaline tartrate solution, an application of Fehling's test.

For the present invention the first D-glycose oligomer (preferably maltodextrin) (or mixture of them), which is the ingredient (ii) of the composition and defined as (G01), has a DE of less than 18, preferably less than 15, more preferably less than 12, even more preferably less than 10.

Most preferably the first D-glycose oligomer (preferably maltodextrin) (or mixture of them), which is the ingredient (ii) of the composition, has a DE of 2 - 10. Therefore, the present invention relates to a powderous composition (IV), which is powderous composition (I), (II) or (III), wherein (G01) or mixture of (G01)s has a DE of less than 15.

Therefore, the present invention relates to a powderous composition (IV’), which is powder ous composition (I), (II) or (III), wherein (G01) or mixture of (G01)s has a DE of less than 12.

Therefore, the present invention relates to a powderous composition (IV”), which is powder ous composition (I), (II) or (III), wherein (G01) or mixture of (G01)s has a DE of less than 10.

Therefore, the present invention relates to a powderous composition (VI’”), which is powder ous composition (I), (II) or (III), wherein (G01) or mixture of (G01)s has a DE of 2 - 10.

For the present invention the second D-glycose oligomer (preferably maltodextrin and/or a dried glucose syrup) (or mixture of them), which is the ingredient (iii) of the composition and defined as (G02), has a DE of more than 18, preferably more than 20.

Most preferably the second D-glycose oligomer (or mixture of them), which is the ingredient (iii) of the composition, has a DE of 20 - 45.

Therefore, the present invention relates to a powderous composition (V), which is powderous composition (I), (II), (III), (IV’), (IV’), (IV”) or (IV’”), wherein (G02) or mixture of (G02)s has a DE of more than 20.

Therefore, the present invention relates to a powderous composition (V’), which is powderous composition (I), (II), (III), (IV’), (IV’), (IV”) or (IV’”), wherein (G02) or mixture of (G02)s has a DE of 20 - 45.

The (G01) and (G02) can be used in the same amounts (1 :1 mixture) as well as in different amounts according to their definition of amounts as described above.

Therefore, the present invention relates to a powderous composition (VI), which is powderous composition (I), (II), (III), (IV’), (IV’), (IV”), (IV’”), (V) or (V’), wherein (G01) and (G02) are used in a 1 :1 mixture in the powderous composition.

Therefore, the present invention relates to a powderous composition (VI’), which is powder ous composition (I), (II), (III), (IV’), (IV’), (IV”), (IV’”), (V) or (V’), wherein (G01) and (G02) are used in mixture, which is not a 1 :1 mixture in the powderous composition. The composition according to present invention comprises at least one modified polysaccha ride.

Preferably the modified polysaccharide is modified starch.

Therefore, the present invention relates to a powderous composition (VII), which is powder ous composition (I), (II), (III), (IV’), (IV’), (IV”), (IV’”), (V), (V’), (VI) or (VI’), wherein the modified polysaccharide is modified starch.

Preferably the modified polysaccharide is of formula (I) wherein St is a starch,

R is an alkylene group and R’ is a hydrophobic group.

Therefore, the present invention relates to a powderous composition (VII’), which is powder- ous composition (I), (II), (III), (IV’), (IV’), (IV”), (IV’”), (V), (V’), (VI) or (VI’), wherein the modified polysaccharide is of formula (I) wherein St is a starch,

R is an alkylene group and R’ is a hydrophobic group.

Preferably the modified polysaccharide is starch sodium octenyl succinate. Therefore the present invention relates to a composition (VII”), which is powderous composition (I), (II), (III), (IV’), (IV’), (IV”), (IV’”), (V), (V’), (VI) or (VI’), wherein the modified polysaccharide is starch sodium octenyl succinate.

The powderous composition according to the present invention also comprises at least 1 wt- %, based on the total weight of the powderous composition, of at least one water-soluble fiber.

Such a soluble fiber, which dissolves in water, is generally fermented in the colon into gases and physiologically active by-products, such as short-chain fatty acids produced in the colon by gut bacteria.

Suitable fibers for the powderous composition according to the present invention are beta- glucans, psyllium, inulin, wheat dextrin and oligosaccharides.

An usual amount for such a fiber is 1 - 20 wt-%, based on the total weight of the powderous composition. More preferred is a range of 2 - 15 wt-%, based on the total weight of the powderous composition.

Therefore, the present invention relates to a composition (VIII), which is powderous composition (I), (II), (III), (IV’), (IV’), (IV”), (IV’”), (V), (V’), (VI), (VI’), (VII’) or (VII”), wherein 1 - 20 wt-%, based on the total weight of the powderous composition, of at least one water-soluble fiber is used.

Therefore, the present invention relates to a composition (VIII’), which is powderous composition (I), (II), (III), (IV’), (IV’), (IV”), (IV’”), (V), (V’), (VI), (VI’), (VII’) or (VII”), wherein 2 - 15 wt-%, based on the total weight of the powderous composition, of at least one water-soluble fiber is used.

Therefore, the present invention relates to a composition (IX), which is powderous composition (I), (II), (III), (IV’), (IV’), (IV”), (IV’”), (V), (V’), (VI), (VI’), (VII’), (VII”), (VIII) or (VIII’), wherein the water-soluble fiber is chosen from the group consisting of beta-glucans, psyllium, inulin, wheat dextrin and oligosaccharides.

Therefore, the present invention relates to a composition (IX’), which is powderous composition (I), (II), (III), (IV’), (IV’), (IV”), (IV’”), (V), (V’), (VI), (VI’), (VII’), (VII”), (VIII) or (VIII’), wherein the water-soluble fiber is inulin. Preferably, the powderous composition (I), (II), (III), (IV’), (IV’), (IV”), (IV’”), (V), (V’), (VI), (VI’), (Vir), (VII”), (VIII), (VIII’), (IX) and (IX’) according to present invention has an average inner particle size D [0,5] (inner phase) of less than 500 nm, preferably 150nm - 450nm.

All the sizes of the inner phase D [0,5] in the context of the present patent application were determined by using a Mastersizer 3000. The particle size of the inner phase was determined after redispersing the powderous composition in water.

Therefore the present invention relates to a powderous composition (X), which is powderous composition ((I), (II), (III), (IV’), (IV’), (IV”), (IV’”), (V), (V’), (VI), (VI’), (VII’), (VII”), (VIII), (VIII’), (IX) and (IX’) wherein the powderous composition has an average inner particle size D [0,5] (inner phase) of less than 500 nm.

Therefore the present invention relates to a powderous composition (X’), which is powderous composition (I), (II), (II’), (III), (IN’), (III”), (III’"), (III””), (IV), (IV’), (IV’), (IV”), (IV’”), (V), (V’), (VI), (VI’), (VI’), (VI”), (VII), (VII’), (VIII), (VIII’), (IX) and (IX’), wherein the powderous composition has an average inner particle size D [0,5] (inner phase) of 150nm - 450nm.

Preferably the powderous composition according to the present invention is a spray dried composition. Other method of production can also be used.

Therefore, the present invention relates to a composition (XI), which is powderous composition (I), (II), (II’), (III), (IN’), (III”), (III’”), (III””), (IV), (IV’), (IV’), (IV”), (IV’”), (V), (V’), (VI), (VI’), (VI’), (VI”), (VII), (VII’), (VIII), (VIII’), (IX), (IX’), (X) or (X’), wherein the powderous composition is a spray dried composition.

The powderous composition according to the present invention can be produced by using technologies known to a person skilled in the art.

In first step an emulsion comprising all ingredients ((i) - (vv)) and water is produced, which is then dried (usually and preferably by spray drying). The water content of the powderous composition depends on the conditions of the applies drying process.

One advantage of the powderous composition according to the present invention is that during the spray-drying procedure, the powderous composition is not sticky and therefore the powderous composition does not stick to the wall of the spray drying tower and therefor the loss of the powderous composition during the drying process is very low and the effort to clean the drying apparatus is lowered.

Therefore the present invention relates to process for production of powderous composition (I), (II), (II·), (III), (III·), (III”), (III’”), (III””), (IV), (IV’), (IV’), (IV”), (IV’”), (V), (V’), (VI), (VI’), (VI’), (VI”), (VII), (VII’), (VIII), (VIM’), (IX), (IX’) or (XI), characterized in that in a first step an emulsion comprising all ingredients (i) - (iv) and water is produced, which is then in a second step dried to form a powderous composition.

The powderous compositions (I), (II), (II’), (III), (IN’), (III”), (III’”), (III””), (IV), (IV’), (IV’), (IV”), (IV’”), (V), (V’), (VI), (VI’), (VI’), (VI”), (VII), (VII’), (VIII), (VIII’), (IX), (IX’) and/or (XI) according to present invention are used in food, feed and/or personal care formulations.

Preferably the powderous compositions (I), (II), (II’), (III), (IN’), (III”), (III’”), (III””), (IV), (IV’), (IV’), (IV”), (IV’”), (V), (V’), (VI), (VI’), (VI’), (VI”), (VII), (VII’), (VIII), (VIII’), (IX), (IX’) or (XI) are used in a liquid formulation, preferably in a beverage.

Furthermore, the present invention relates to food, feed and personal care formulations comprising at least one powderous composition (I), (II), (IG), (III), (IN’), (III”), (IN’”), (III””), (IV), (IV’), (IV’), (IV”), (IV’”), (V), (V’), (VI), (VI’), (VI’), (VI”), (VII), (VII’), (VIII), (VIII’), (IX), (IX’) or (XI).

These formulations can be in any form (solid, liquid or gel-like).

Preferred are liquid food, feed and personal care formulation comprising at least one powderous composition (I), (II), (II’), (III), (IN’), (III”), (III’”), (III””), (IV), (IV’), (IV’), (IV”), (IV’”), (V), (V’), (VI), (VI’), (VI’), (VI”), (VII), (VII’), (VIII), (VIII’), (IX), (IX’) or (XI).

More preferred are beverages comprising at least one powderous composition (I), (II), (IG), (III), (IN’), (III”), (III’"), (III””), (IV), (IV’), (IV’), (IV”), (IV’”), (V), (V’), (VI), (VI’), (VI’), (VI”), (VII), (VII’), (VIII), (VIII’), (IX), (IX’) or (XI).

Therefore, a further embodiment of the present invention relates to food, feed and personal care formulations comprising at least one powderous composition (I), (II), (IG), (III), (IN’), (III”), (III’"), (III””), (IV), (IV’), (IV’), (IV”), (IV’”), (V), (V’), (VI), (VI’), (VI’), (VI”), (VII), (VII’), (VIII), (VIII’), (IX), (IX’) or (XI). Therefore, a further embodiment of the present invention relates to liquid food, feed and personal care formulations comprising at least one powderous composition (I), (II), (II’), (III), (IN’), (III”), (III’”), (III””), (IV), (IV’), (IV’), (IV”), (IV’”), (V), (V’), (VI), (VI’), (VI’), (VI”), (VII), (VII’), (VIII), (VIII’), (IX), (IX’) or (XI).

Therefore, a further embodiment of the present invention relates to beverages comprising at least one powderous composition ((I), (II), (II’), (III), (IN’), (III”), (III’”), (III””), (IV), (IV’), (IV’), (IV”), (IV’”), (V), (V’), (VI), (VI’), (VI’), (VI”), (VII), (VII’), (VIII), (VIII’), (IX), (IX’) or (XI). The concentration of the powderous composition in the food, feed and/or personal care formulations depends on the kind of these formulations.

The invention is illustrated by the following Examples. All temperatures are given in °C and all parts and percentages are related to the weight.

Example 1

147.5 g Capsul HS (Modified Food Starch), 52.8 g Glucidex6 (Maltodextrin with a DE ranging between 5 and 8), 52.8 g Glucidex 21 (dried glucose syrup with a DE ranging between 20 and 23), 12.4 g Sodium Ascorbate, and 15.5 g Inulin GR were dispersed in 310.5 g of deionised water in a 1 L Schott bottle at 65 °C in a water bath under continuous stirring for 2 h. 514.4 g of this matrix phase were transferred into 2 L stainless steel vessel and the temperature was kept at 55 °C under stirring with an emulsification disc (300 rpm, d=6.5 cm).

For the preparation of the oil phase 14.9 g of the active b-carotene was solubilized in an appropriate organic solvent at 70 °C for approximately 30 minutes in a mixture of 8.1 g MCT and 2.7 g dl-alpha-tocopherol.

After the addition of the oil phase to the mixture of Capsul HS, Glucidex 6, Glucidex 21 , Sodium Ascorbate, Inulin GR, and water, the emulsion was homogenized for 30 minutes at 55 °C with an emulsification disc (7000 rpm). After emulsion preparation, the organic solvent was evaporated from the emulsion using a rotary evaporator and the solvent-free emulsion was adjusted to the desired water content (60%) and viscosity for the SD process.

Afterwards this emulsion was dried in a spray drying process (emulsion temperature: 60°C). The temperature at the inlet of the spray drying tower was around 180 °C and the temperature at the outlet of the spray drying tower was at 80°C.

A powderous composition was obtained with a residual moisture content < 5.0%. The size of the inner phase D [0,5] was 150 nm.

The following tablel shows the amounts of the ingredients of the composition.

All of the Examples of Table 1 have been prepared in the same way, using the same reaction conditions. The amounts have been amended accordingly. Comparison Example 1 is without inulin.

Table 1 :

Flowability measurement

Method:

Different tests can be applied using the FT4 Rheometer in order to simulate different process conditions. Results obtained from FT4 give information about powder cohesivity and flowa bility. Cohesive forces are a combination of Van der Waal’s and electrostatics, and tend to “bond” particles together. Therefore, the higher the measured cohesive forces are, the less flowable the analyzed powder is.

Compressibility test

A standard powder volume is poured into a specially designed sample holder (Freeman Tech- nology, UK). The powder is pressed with a piston until 15 Kpa and the difference on volume, compared to the initial volume, is measured (changes on density).

CPS (compression in %) at 15.0kPa is used to evaluate and compare powders. The lower the CPS at 15 KPa (the low amount of entrained air in the powder), the lower the cohesivity and the better the powder flowability Table 2: Results of the measurements

It can be seen that the addition of inulin results in a better flowability.