JPH06264055A - Method for stabilizing carotenoid pigment, stabilized composition of carotenoid pigment, and feed containing carotenoid pigment stabilized thereby - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a highly stable carotenoid pigment at a low cost by using an org. acid as a stabilizer for a carotenoid pigment. CONSTITUTION:At least one compd. selected from the group consisting of an org. acid having at least two carboxyl groups, glycine, ascorbic acid, and their salts is added in the presence of water to a carotenoid pigment or a substance contg. the pigment, and the pigment or the substance is then dried after the water treatment. Examples of the pigment are astaxanthin, a fatty acid ester of astaxanthin, and a complex of astaxanthin with a protein. Examples of a substance contg. the pigment are cells contg. the pigment and the product of alkali treatment of the cells. Thus stabilized carotenoid pigment is used as feed for fishes, chikens, etc.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method for stabilizing carotenoid pigments useful as a coloring agent or a raw material for medicines in the fields of foods, pharmaceuticals and feeds, a stabilizing composition produced by the method, and the method according to the method. The present invention relates to a feed containing a stabilized carotenoid pigment.

[0002]

Carotenoid pigments are yellow to red pigments widely distributed in the animal and plant kingdoms, such as carrot, tomato,
It is widely distributed in plants such as mushrooms; fishes such as shrimp, crab, Thailand, salmon and trout; microorganisms such as algae, yeasts and bacteria. Carotenoid pigments are used as food colorants and pharmaceutical raw materials. Further, it is also used as a precursor of vitamin A or as an antioxidant. Also,
Astaxanthin, zeaxanthin, doradexanthin, canthaxanthin, cryptoxanthin, their esters, etc. are used for deep-fried fish. In addition, paprika pigments, gardenia pigments containing carotenoid pigments are also used for frying chicken eggs.

As described above, carotenoid pigments are useful pigments having various uses. However, carotenoid pigments are generally known to have the drawback that they are easily decomposed by heat, light, oxygen, etc. and have poor stability during storage. Various means have been tried until now to overcome the drawbacks of such carotenoid pigments.

First, in JP-A-63-145367, flavonoids such as rutin, sunflower extract, plant extracts such as phytic acid, tocopherol, and ascorbic acid are used for the purpose of improving the stability of carotenoid pigments. It is disclosed that citric acid, etc. can be added. However, among these stabilizers, vitamins, flavonoids and plant extracts are generally expensive, and it is practically difficult to employ them as stabilizers for carotenoid pigments. Furthermore, even if ascorbic acid or citric acid is directly added to the carotenoid pigment or the content of the carotenoid pigment, its effect is small, and there is a problem in adopting it as a stabilizer for the carotenoid pigment.

[0005]

The problem to be solved by the present invention is to use a relatively inexpensive raw material and to stabilize a carotenoid dye highly, and a method for stabilizing the carotenoid dye, and the stabilizing method. It is intended to provide a feed containing the obtained stabilized carotenoid pigment.

[0006]

Means for Solving the Problems As a result of diligent studies, the present inventor has found that a general organic acid or the like can be used as a stabilizer, and further, in the stabilization treatment using such an organic acid as a stabilizer, It has been found that a method capable of solving the above problems can be provided by performing a drying treatment with the inclusion of the above.

That is, the present invention has the following matters. (1) One or more kinds of organic acids having two or more carboxyl groups, glycine, ascorbic acid, or salts thereof are added to a carotenoid pigment or a carotenoid pigment-containing material. , A method for stabilizing carotenoid pigments.

(2) Containing a carotenoid dye or a carotenoid dye in the presence of water, one or more of organic acids having two or more carboxyl groups, glycine, ascorbic acid, or salts thereof. A method for stabilizing a carotenoid pigment, which comprises adding to a substance and drying after the water treatment. (3) Carotenoid pigment inclusions, cells containing a carotenoid pigment, or stabilization of the carotenoid pigment described in (1) or (2) is obtained by alkali treatment of the cells Method.

(4) The method for stabilizing a carotenoid pigment according to (3) above, wherein the cell containing the carotenoid pigment is a yeast containing astaxanthin. (5) A composition containing one or more kinds of organic acids having two or more carboxyl groups, glycine, ascorbic acid, or salts thereof, and a carotenoid pigment or a content of a carotenoid pigment.

(6) The carotenoid pigment is astaxanthin, an ester of astaxanthin and fatty acid, or a complex of astaxanthin and protein, (5)
The composition as described. (7) A feed containing the composition described in (5) or (6) above. (8) The feed according to (7) above, wherein the carotenoid pigment is astaxanthin, an ester of astaxanthin and a fatty acid, or a complex of astaxanthin and a protein.

The present invention will be described in detail below.
The present invention is characterized by using an organic acid having two or more carboxyl groups, glycine, or ascorbic acid as a stabilizer for carotenoid dyes. Take 2
Examples of the organic acid having three or more carboxyl groups include citric acid, malic acid, malonic acid, succinic acid, tartaric acid,
Examples include fumaric acid, maleic acid, glutamic acid, aspartic acid and the like. Among these organic acids having two or more carboxyl groups, malic acid and glycine are particularly preferable in that they are highly effective as a stabilizer and are inexpensive.

Incidentally, an organic acid having two or more carboxyl groups, glycine, or ascorbic acid is added to the carotenoid pigment or the content of the carotenoid pigment in the presence of water, and dried after the water treatment. If
Examples of the organic acid having two or more carboxyl groups include citric acid, malic acid, malonic acid, succinic acid, tartaric acid, fumaric acid, maleic acid, glutamic acid and aspartic acid. Among these organic acids having two or more carboxyl groups, citric acid, malic acid, and malonic acid, and ascorbic acid are particularly preferable in that they have a high stabilizing effect on the carotenoid pigment.

The carotenoid pigment to be stabilized in the present invention may be a natural product or a synthetic product. For example, α-carotene, β-carotene, γ-
Carotene, astaxanthin, canthaxanthin, zeaxanthin, lycopene, cryptoxanthin, crocin, rhodoxanthin and the like can be mentioned, and these dyes can be used alone or in combination. Also, esters of the carotenoid pigment and fatty acids such as oleic acid, linoleic acid, palmitic acid,
Monoester or diester with myristic acid;
Also, a complex of these with a protein or the like, for example, carotenoprotein or the like can be used. Among these carotenoid dyes and the like, esters of carotenoid dyes and fatty acids and single carotenoid dyes are preferable in that they can be easily taken out from the natural world. In the present invention, the carotenoid pigment also includes the following carotenoid pigment-containing cells or an extract of oil from a solvent or the like, or those obtained by crushing the cells with an acid, an alkali, an enzyme or the like. Examples of the organic acid salt used as a stabilizer in the present invention include alkali metal salts such as sodium and potassium; and alkaline earth metal salts such as calcium and magnesium. In addition,
Regarding glycine, glutamic acid, and aspartic acid, a hydrochloride, a sulfate, or an organic acid salt may be used in addition to the above-mentioned alkali metal salt and alkaline earth metal salt.

The amount of one or more stabilizers selected from the group consisting of the above-mentioned organic acids, glycine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid, and salts thereof is selected based on the carotenoid pigment or the carotenoid pigment-containing material. 0.3% by weight or more, preferably 3% by weight or more of the organic acid excluding ascorbic acid with respect to the dried product of the carotenoid pigment or the carotenoid pigment-containing substance to be stabilized, and ascorbic acid, the carotenoid to be stabilized. For pigments or carotenoid pigments
0.5% by weight is added. In general, carotenoid pigments are insoluble in water, and the stabilizers such as the above organic acids are water-soluble. Therefore, the addition of the stabilizer to the carotenoid pigments includes solid carotenoid pigments or carotenoid pigments. It is carried out by mixing and adding the above-mentioned stabilizer in a solid state or in a state of being dissolved in water. The stabilizing effect of the carotenoid pigment of the above stabilizer is further improved by mixing, dissolving and drying the above-mentioned stabilizer in the form of an aqueous solution or solid in an aqueous suspension of carotenoid pigment or carotenoid pigment-containing substance. It can be further improved. Therefore, it is particularly preferable to adopt this addition form. In the case of adopting such a mixed form, the carotenoid dye or the carotenoid dye-containing material and the above stabilizer may be mixed and homogenized with stirring, if necessary.

Next, the feed of the present invention will be described. The feed of the present invention comprises the above-mentioned stabilized carotenoid pigment,
Alternatively, it is a feed comprising a carotenoid pigment and the like and the above stabilizer. The carotenoid pigment, the carotenoid pigment-containing substance, and the stabilizer in the feed of the present invention are the same as those shown in the above description of the stabilizing method and the stabilized carotenoid pigment of the present invention. In addition, in the feed of the present invention, the carotenoid pigment and its components are used alone or in combination, and the stabilizer is also used alone or in combination.

In the feed of the present invention, the above-mentioned stabilized carotenoid-containing material may be used as it is as a feed, or may be a feed obtained by adding this to other feed ingredients. That is, the feed of the present invention may contain other feed ingredients which are usually added to the feed of fish and chicken. Here, the feed ingredients usually added to the feed include fish meat such as sardines, saury, mackerel, and squid; a mixture of fish meal, bone meat meal, soybean meal, corn gluten meal, yeast, wheat flour, rice bran, vitamins, and the like. .

As a method for adding the carotenoid pigment to the other feed raw material, a dry product of the carotenoid pigment or the carotenoid pigment-containing material stabilized by the above-mentioned method of the present invention is added to and mixed with the other feed raw material. Alternatively, a carotenoid pigment or a carotenoid pigment-containing material to which the above-mentioned stabilizer is added in the presence of water may be directly added to the feed raw material without being dried. Further, the feed may be a wet one containing water or may be a dried one.

In the method for producing the feed of the present invention, the above stabilizer, preferably in the form of an aqueous solution, is added to an aqueous suspension of the carotenoid dye, or the solid stabilizer is added to the carotenoid dye. After addition to the water suspension, it can be added by stirring and dissolving. Here, a method for producing the feed of the present invention using cells containing astaxanthin as a carotenoid pigment will be specifically described below.

Cells containing astaxanthin, such as Phaffia rhodozyma yeast cells, can be treated with glucose,
21 in a medium (pH 4 to 6) containing carbon sources such as maltose, sucrose, molasses, yeast extract, malt extract, peptone, ammonium sulfate and other organic and inorganic nitrogen sources, and other trace nutrients
It can be cultured at -25 ° C under aerobic conditions for 2-8 days.

Next, after culturing the cells, an alkaline solution is added to the culture, or the cells separated from the culture solution by centrifugation or the like are immersed in the alkaline solution, or the separated cells are sprayed with the alkaline solution. By doing so, the cells are treated with alkali. Examples of the alkaline solution used here include sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide,
Alkaline solution of calcium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, sodium hydrogen carbonate, etc .; boric acid-sodium carbonate, ammonium chloride-ammonia, glycine-sodium hydroxide, sodium bicarbonate-sodium carbonate, borax-sodium carbonate, boro Sand-sodium hydroxide, hydrochloric acid-sodium carbonate, disodium hydrogen phosphate-
A buffer solution such as sodium hydroxide can be used. The alkaline solution is used by adjusting the pH to 10 or more.

A feed containing a carotenoid pigment stabilized by adding 0.3% by weight of the stabilizer to the dried cells to the alkali-treated cells and mixing and stirring the mixture to lower the pH to 7 or less. It can be manufactured. In addition, a feed in which the carotenoid pigment is stabilized can also be produced by neutralizing the alkali-treated yeast cells to pH 7 or lower and then adding the stabilizer described above by the method described above. These stabilized feeds may be used as they are as feeds, or may be used as a mixture with other feed ingredients.

The feed of the present invention is preferably powdered by adjusting the pH with a suitable storage condition of 5 or less with sodium hydroxide, hydrochloric acid or the like, and as a suspension, or by vacuum drying, freeze drying, spray drying or the like. Can be used as These stabilized feeds may be used as they are as feeds, or may be used as a mixture with other feed ingredients. Further, the feed of the present invention may be used as it is for feed of fish such as red sea bream, salmon, trout or chicken, or it may be wet or dried and mixed with the blend for the blended feed to form a blended feed. As such a composition, a commonly used composition for aquaculture fish, a composition for feed, such as fish meal, meat-and-bone meal,
Soybean meal, corn gluten meal, torula yeast, wheat flour, rice bran, oil meal, vitamins and the like can be mentioned. Further, the feed of the present invention can be mixed with a mixture to form a powder, a liquid, a pellet or a mash to prepare a mixed feed. In the mixed feed, the feed of the present invention is added in a proportion of 0.03 to 30% by weight.

[0023]

EXAMPLES The present invention will be described more specifically with reference to the following examples. [Example 1] Carrots were crushed and suspended in water. To this, 8% by weight of dry matter, sodium malate, sodium malonate, glycine, sunflower extract or tocopherol was added, and each sample was dried by vacuum drying. Each sample was placed in a brown bottle, left at 70 ° C. for 1 week, then crushed using glass beads, and the carotenoid pigment was extracted with acetone. 480 nm for carotenoid pigments in the extract
Was measured by absorptiometry. Table 1 shows the relative values of carotenoids in each sample, with the residual amount of control carotenoids without additives as 100%. In addition, synthetic astaxanthin (Calophyll pink; manufactured by Hoffman Roche) was made into a suspension with hot water at 40 ° C and distributed so as to have a concentration of 7.5 mg / g.
Sodium malonate, glycine, sunflower extract or tocopherol was added and each sample was dried by vacuum drying. Treat the sample in the same manner as the carrot suspension,
Carotenoid pigments were measured. Table 1 shows the amount of carotenoid in each sample when the residual amount of control carotenoid without additives was 100%.

[0024]

[Table 1]

[Example 2] Phaffia rhodozyma (IF
O 10129) was inoculated into 100 ml of liquid medium (pH 5.0) consisting of yeast extract 0.3%, polypeptone 0.5% and sucrose 3.0% and cultured at 23 ° C for 5 days under aeration, and then the cultured cells were collected by centrifugation. did. After adding 15% by weight of sodium malate or 3% by weight of sodium ascorbate to the dry weight of the cells (no addition of control), spray drying was performed. The obtained composition was added to a commercially available feed for red sea bream at a ratio of 10% by weight, and this was placed in a bottle and allowed to stand at 40 ° C. for 2 months, and then carotenoids were extracted with acetone to determine the total carotenoid content. The amount of astaxanthin was measured by absorptiometry at 480 nm and by high performance liquid chromatography. Remaining amount in control is 100
The results are shown in Table 2 as relative values when the percentage is set.

[0026]

[Table 2]

[Example 3] Phaffia rhodozyma (IF
O 10129) was inoculated into 100 ml of a liquid medium (pH 5.0) consisting of yeast extract 0.3%, polypeptone 0.5% and sucrose 3.0%, and cultured under aeration at 23 ° C for 5 days. The cultured cells were collected by centrifugation and freeze-dried. A solid malic acid, which was sufficiently crushed in a mortar of 15% by weight, was added to the cells and mixed and stirred to obtain a composition 1a. In addition, such composition 1
The residual rate of the carotenoid dye in a is described in Test Example 1 below together with the residual rate in the reference example. Examples 4 to 10 Composition 2a was prepared in the same manner as in Example 3 except that malonic acid, sodium malate, sodium malonate, glycine, sodium succinate, potassium fumarate or sodium maleate was used instead of malic acid.
(Example 4), 1aa (Example 5), 2aa (Example 6), 3a (Example 7), 4aa (Example 8), 8aa
(Example 9) or 9aa (Example 10) was obtained. In addition,
Regarding the residual rate of the carotenoid pigment in the above composition, together with the residual rate in the reference example, Test Example 1 described later is given.
Described in. Example 11 Phaffia yeast (IFO 10129) was used in Example 3
Culturing by the same method as above, collecting the yeast after the completion of the cultivation,
A 10% aqueous suspension of the yeast was prepared. To the suspension was added malic acid in the form of a solution of 15% by weight based on the dry matter of the cells, the mixture was allowed to stand for 20 minutes, and then adjusted to pH 5 with sodium hydroxide and sulfuric acid. The solution was freeze-dried to obtain a composition 1b. The residual rate of the carotenoid dye in the composition 1b will be described in Test Example 1 below together with the residual rate in the reference example. [Examples 12 to 21] The same as Example 11 except that sodium malate, malonic acid, glycine, succinic acid, tartaric acid, glutamic acid, aspartic acid, fumaric acid, maleic acid or citric acid was used instead of malic acid. , Each composition 1
ba (Example 12), 2b (Example 13), 3b (Example 1)
4), 4b (Example 15), 5b (Example 16), 6b (Example 17), 7b (Example 18), 8b (Example 19), 9b
(Example 20) and 31b (Example 21) were obtained. Incidentally, regarding the residual rate of the carotenoid pigment in the above composition,
It is described in Test Example 1 below, together with the remaining rate in the reference example. [Examples 22 to 26] The amount of malic acid added was 1 with respect to the cells.
Example 11 except substituting%, 3%, 6%, 12% or 36%
Each composition 10b (Example 22), 11b in the same manner as
(Example 23), 12b (Example 24), 13b (Example 25),
14b (Example 26) was obtained. The residual rate of the carotenoid pigment in the above composition is described in Test Example 2 together with Reference Example. [Example 27] Phaffia yeast (IFO 10129) was inoculated into 100 ml of a liquid medium consisting of yeast extract 0.3%, polypeptone 0.5% and sucrose 3.0% and cultured under aeration at pH 5.0 at 23 ° C for 5 days, The cells were collected by centrifugation to obtain a suspension. 15% by weight of sodium malate relative to the dry weight of the cells was added, left for 10 hours and then freeze-dried,
Composition 15c was obtained. The residual rate of the carotenoid dye in the composition 15c is described in Test Example 3 together with the residual rate in the reference example. [Examples 28 to 33] The same method as in Example 27 was performed except that the amount of sodium malate added was changed to 2%, 4%, 5%, 10%, 20% or 36% based on the bacterial cells. Compositions 16c (Example 28), 17c (Example 29), 18c (Example 30), 19c
(Example 31), 20c (Example 32) and 21c (Example 33) were obtained. The residual rate of the carotenoid pigment in the above composition is described in Test Example 3 together with the residual rate in the reference example. [Examples 34 to 37] 1%, 3% and 5 each instead of malic acid
% Or 8% sodium ascorbate was used, but the same procedure as in Example 11 was repeated to prepare each composition 33ba (Example
34), 34ba (Example 35), 35ba (Example 36) or 36
ba (Example 37) was obtained. The residual rate of the carotenoid dye in the above composition will be described in Test Example 4 below. [Example 38] A composition 37b was used in the same manner as in Example 11 except that two kinds of acids, 10% by weight citric acid and 3% by weight ascorbic acid, were used as a mixture instead of malic acid.
Got The residual rate of the carotenoid dye in the composition 37b will be described in Test Example 1 below, together with the residual rate in the reference example. Example 39 A composition 32a was obtained in the same manner as in Example 3 except that 3% by weight of ascorbic acid was used instead of 15% by weight of malic acid. The residual rate of the carotenoid dye in the composition 32a will be described in Test Example 1 below together with the residual rate in the reference example. Example 40 A composition 32b was obtained in the same manner as in Example 11 except that 3% by weight of ascorbic acid was used instead of 15% by weight of malic acid. The residual rate of the carotenoid dye in the composition 32b will be described in Test Example 1 below together with the residual rate in the reference example. Example 41 Salmon meat was crushed with a homogenizer to prepare an aqueous suspension. Sodium ascorbate (no control was added) was added to the suspension in an amount of 3% by weight based on the dry matter, and the suspension was immersed for 10 minutes and vacuum dried. The sample was placed in a bottle and allowed to stand at 70 ° C. for 1 week. Then, carotenoids were extracted with acetone, the total carotenoid amount was measured by an absorptiometric method at 480 nm, and the astaxanthin amount was measured by high performance liquid chromatography. The results are shown in Table 3.

[0028]

[Table 3]

[Example 42] Phaffia rhodozyma (IF
O 10129) was inoculated into 100 ml of liquid medium (pH 5.0) consisting of yeast extract 0.3%, polypeptone 0.5% and sucrose 3.0% and cultured at 23 ° C under aeration for 5 days, and then the cultured cells were collected by centrifugation. After the bacterium, it was freeze-dried. 0.2N of the obtained bacterial cells
After alkali treatment by immersing in sodium hydroxide for 60 minutes,
After dividing the yeast into a group where the pH was adjusted to 5 with sulfuric acid and an alkali-untreated group where no alkali treatment was performed, the yeast dry matter was compared to 3
Sodium ascorbate in the form of a solution in weight% was added and spray dried. The obtained sample was put in a bottle and left at 70 ° C for 2 weeks, and then carotenoids were extracted with acetone,
The total carotenoid content was determined by absorptiometry at 480 nm.
The amount of astaxanthin was measured by high performance liquid chromatography. The results are shown in Table 4. The results are shown as relative values with respect to the control without alkali treatment and without addition of ascorbic acid.

[0030]

[Table 4]

Reference Example 1 Composition Aa was prepared in the same manner as in Example 3 except that sodium acetate was used instead of malic acid.
a was obtained. [Reference Example 2] A composition Ab was obtained in the same manner as in Example 11 except that acetic acid was used instead of malic acid. [Reference Example 3] A composition Ca was obtained in the same manner as in Example 3 except that malic acid was not added. [Reference Example 4] A composition Cb was obtained in the same manner as in Example 11 except that malic acid was not added. [Reference Example 5] A composition Daa was obtained in the same manner as in Example 3 except that sodium sulfate was used instead of malic acid. [Reference Example 6] A composition Eaa was obtained in the same manner as in Example 3 except that potassium phthalate was used instead of malic acid. [Reference Example 7] A composition Cc was obtained in the same manner as in Example 27 except that sodium malate was not added. [Test Example 1] Compositions obtained by mixing the carotenoid pigment-containing yeast cells of Examples 3 to 10 and Example 39 and a solid stabilizer, Examples 11 to 21, Example 38 and Example An example
A composition obtained by adding a stabilizer to an aqueous suspension of 40 carotenoid pigment-containing yeast cells, mixing and dissolving it, and then drying this, and various compositions obtained in Reference Examples 1 to 6, 1 g
Was placed in a brown bottle and stored at 70 ° C. for 1 week. After adding 2 ml of acetone and 2 g of glass beads to 200 mg of each composition and shaking and crushing, 48 ml of acetone was added to extract a carotenoid pigment, and the total amount of carotenoid was measured from the absorption intensity in the visible region at 480 nm by an absorptiometric method. Carotenoid dyes of compositions Ca (control of solid mixed composition) and Cb (control of composition obtained by mixing in the presence of water and drying) obtained in Reference Examples 3 and 4 without the stabilizer. The residual amount of carotenoid pigment in each composition was shown as a relative value to the control, with the residual amount of 100% as the control. The results are shown in Table 5.

[0032]

[Table 5]

According to Table 5, the residual rate of carotenoid pigment in each composition of Examples is higher than that of the control,
It was shown that the stabilizer in the present invention stabilizes the carotenoid pigment. In any case, the composition prepared by dissolving and adding a stabilizer to an aqueous suspension of a carotenoid pigment-containing yeast and drying the mixture is obtained by mixing the yeast cells with the stabilizer in a solid state. The remaining rate of carotenoid pigment was significantly higher than that of the composition. A combined effect was observed between ascorbic acid and other organic acids. [Test Example 2] 1 g each of the malic acid-containing compositions having various concentrations obtained in Examples 22 to 26 were placed in a brown bottle and stored at 70 ° C for one week. To 100 mg of each composition, add 2 ml of acetone and 2 g of glass beads, shake and crush, then 48 ml of acetone
Was added to extract carotenoid pigments, the total amount of carotenoids was measured with an absorptiometer from the visible absorption intensity at 480 nm, and astaxanthin was separated and quantified by high performance liquid chromatography. The residual amount of the carotenoid dye or astaxanthin in the composition Cb (control) obtained in Reference Example 4 without the additive was taken as 100% and shown as a relative value to the control. The results are shown in Table 6.

[0034]

[Table 6]

[Test Example 3] 1 g of each of the sodium malate-containing compositions obtained in Examples 27 to 33 was placed in a brown bottle,
It was stored at a temperature of 70 ° C for 1 week. To 200 mg of each composition, 2 ml of acetone and 2 g of glass beads were added, shaken and crushed, 48 ml of acetone was added to extract the carotenoid pigment, and the total amount of carotenoid was measured from the visible absorption intensity at 480 nm with an absorptiometer.

The residual amount of carotenoid dye of the composition Cc (control) in the case of adding no acid obtained in Reference Example 7 was measured.
The residual amount of carotenoid pigment in each composition was shown as a relative value with respect to the control as 100%. The results are shown in Table 7.

[0037]

[Table 7]

Test Example 4 Carotenoids in the sample were prepared in the same manner as in Test Example 2 except that the various sodium ascorbates obtained in Examples 34 to 37 were used instead of the various malic acid-containing compositions. The residual amounts of dye and astaxanthin are shown as relative values to the control. The results are shown in Table 8.

[0039]

[Table 8]

[0040]

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY According to the present invention, a method for stabilizing a carotenoid pigment useful as a coloring agent or a pharmaceutical raw material in the fields of foods, pharmaceuticals and feeds, a stabilizing composition produced by the method, and stabilization by the method A feed containing the carotenoid pigment is provided.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Miwa Hata 328 Shiodatahamano, Fukuda-cho, Iwata-gun, Shizuoka Kai Kasei Co., Ltd. Laboratory

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. An organic acid having two or more carboxyl groups, glycine, ascorbic acid, or one or more of these salts is added to a carotenoid pigment or a carotenoid pigment-containing material. A method for stabilizing a carotenoid pigment. 2. A carotenoid dye or a substance containing a carotenoid dye in the presence of water, one or more of an organic acid having two or more carboxyl groups, glycine, ascorbic acid, or a salt thereof. Add to
A method for stabilizing a carotenoid pigment, which comprises drying after the water treatment. 3. The carotenoid pigment stable according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the carotenoid pigment-containing material is obtained by treating the cells containing the carotenoid pigment or treating the cells with an alkali. Method. 4. A cell containing a carotenoid pigment,
The method for stabilizing a carotenoid pigment according to claim 3, which is a yeast containing astaxanthin. 5. A composition comprising one or more of organic acids having two or more carboxyl groups, glycine, ascorbic acid, or salts thereof, and a carotenoid pigment or a content of a carotenoid pigment. 6. The carotenoid pigment is astaxanthin, an ester of astaxanthin and a fatty acid, or a complex of astaxanthin and a protein.
The composition as described. 7. A feed containing the composition according to claim 5 or 6. 8. The feed according to claim 7, wherein the carotenoid pigment is astaxanthin, an ester of astaxanthin and a fatty acid, or a complex of astaxanthin and a protein.