Tagetes erecta MARIGOLDS WITH ALTERED CAROTENOID COMPOSITIONS AND RATIOS

Abstract

A marigold plant, a regenerable portion thereof and seed are disclosed whose flower petals, leaves or flower petals and leaves contain one or more of an enhanced neoxanthin plus violaxanthin ratio, an enhanced β-carotene ratio, an enhanced lycopene ratio, an enhanced α-cryptoxanthin ratio, an enhanced phytoene ratio or an enhanced phytofluene ratio relative to that ratio in a non-mutant marigold. A marigold plant, a regenerable portion thereof and seed are also disclosed whose flower petals contain zeaxanthin esters and are substantially free of esters of both neoxanthin and violaxanthin, and wherein zeaxanthin constitutes at least about one-half of the extractable carotenoids when xanthophylls are assayed as alcohols. Also disclosed are methods of preparing such plants, oleoresins and comestible materials that have such carotenoid ratios.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 10 / 447,769, filed May 29, 2003, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 10 / 325,265 filed on Dec. 19, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,033,622, that was a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 10 / 180,775 that was filed on Jun. 26, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,784,351, that itself claimed priority of provisional application Ser. No. 60 / 302,460 that was filed on Jun. 29, 2001, whose disclosures are incorporated herein by reference.TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] The present invention relates to a marigold plant that contains carotenoid pigments present at other than the usual ratios. The invention more particularly relates to a marigold plant, a regenerable portion thereof, a hybrid or later generation whose petals, leaves or both petals and leaves, contain an enhanced ratio of one or more carotenoid compounds relative to lutein, and also seed that produces such a marigold plant, an oleore...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0045] Another embodiment contemplates a seed that on planting in a suitable environment and growth to maturity yields a marigold plant whose flower petals or leaves or both contain one or more of an enhanced zeaxanthin ratio, an enhanced neoxanthin plus violaxanthin ratio, an enhanced β-carotene ratio, an enhanced lycopene ratio, an enhanced α-cryptoxanthin ratio, an enhanced phytoene ratio or an enhanced phytofluene ratio. Preferably, an above-noted ratio is greater than at least about 1:10, more preferably greater than about 2:10, and up to about 1.0. The petals of a contemplated plant again typically contain a measurable amount of zeta-carotene, typically at least 1 percent or more, as discussed before.

[0046] A mutant marigold plant oleoresin having one or more of an enhanced zeaxanthin ratio, an enhanced neoxanthin plus violaxanthin ratio, an enhanced β-carotene ratio, an enhanced lycopene ratio, an enhanced α-cryptoxanthin ratio, an enhanced phytoene ratio or an enhanced phytofluene ratio relative to an oleoresin from a non-mutant marigold. Again, a noted ratio is preferably at least greater than about 1:10, more preferably greater than about 2:10, and up to about 1.0. A contemplated oleoresin also usually contains a measurable amount of zeta-carotene, as discussed before.

[0047] A food additive comprised of substantially whole or partial marigold petals in dry or native form is also contemplated. Such contemplated petals can be from any of the plants discussed herein, all of which exhibit one or more of an enhanced zeaxanthin ratio, an enhanced neoxanthin plus violaxanthin ratio, an enhanced β-carotene ratio, an enhanced lycopene ratio, an enhanced α-cryptoxanthin ratio, an enhanced phytoene ratio or an enhanced phytofluene ratio relative to a petal from a non-mutant marigold. One group of such petals contains zeaxanthin esters and is substantially free of both neoxanthin and violaxanthin, with zeaxanthin constituting at...

Problems solved by technology

The reasons for such focus can be attributed to the pro-vitamin A activity of β-carotene and the limited commercial availability of other prominent food carotenoids.

The carotenoids desired in poultry tissues are a function of their dietary concentration, because poultry do not have the ability to synthesize carotenoids de novo.

Astaxanthin supplied from biological sources, such as crustaceans, yeast and green algae is limited by low yield and costly extraction methods when compared with that obtained by organic synthetic methods.

Usual synthetic methods however, produce by-products that can be considered unacceptable.

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