HUE-CONTROLLED β-CAROTENE COMPOSITIONS Russian patent published in 2018 - IPC A23L5/42 A23L5/44 A23L2/58 C09B61/00 

FIELD: food industry.

SUBSTANCE: present invention relates to a water-dispersible colorant composition and a process for its preparation. Composition comprises a mixture of a solid-in-liquid dispersion of one or more carotenoids with a liquid-in-liquid dispersion of one or more carotenoids. Average particle size in said solid-in-liquid dispersion is less than about 600 nm, and the average droplet size of the liquid-in-liquid dispersion is less than about 200 nm. Carotenoids are selected from the group consisting of β-carotene and lutein. Solid particles of one or more carotenoids in the solid-in-liquid dispersion are not encapsulated in hydrocolloids. Method for producing a colorant composition in which the hue of said composition can be controlled, involves preparing a carotenoid solid-in-liquid dispersion in a liquid medium with an average particle size of less than 600 nm, preparing a carotenoid liquid-in-liquid dispersion in a liquid medium with an average droplet size of less than 200 nm and mixing said dispersions. Hue of said composition is controlled by means of altering the ratio of the solid-in-liquid dispersion to the liquid-in-liquid dispersion in the mixture obtained at the mixing step in order to obtain the desired hue, and wherein said carotenoid is β-carotene, lutein or a mixture thereof. Invention relates to a kit for use in the preparation of a water-dispersible composition of β-carotene of the desired hue, comprising a container with a β-carotene liquid-in-liquid dispersion, a container with a β-carotene solid-in-liquid dispersion, where β-carotene is not encapsulated in hydrocolloid. Said kit comes with instructions for mixing the contents of the two containers to obtain a composition of the desired hue. Invention relates to a method for colouring food or beverage in which the hue of said product can be controlled, the method comprising: preparing a β-carotene solid-in-liquid dispersion in a liquid medium, preparing a β-carotene liquid-in-liquid dispersion in a liquid medium and adding the two dispersions obtained to the food or beverage for colouring. Addition of the dispersions is carried out by mixing each dispersion with each other prior to said addition to a food or beverage colouring product, or separately each dispersion into said food or beverage.

EFFECT: invention provides a highly stable colorant composition that is stable during pasteurisation without changing hue or other colouring properties.

14 cl, 2 tbl, 7 ex