Method for producing granular composition

Abstract

To provide a method for producing a granule composition containing astaxanthin, which enables efficient blending of a desired amount of astaxanthin even when its blending amount is small, and allows for easy production of it.SOLUTION: A method for producing a granule composition containing astaxanthin is provided. The method involves performing fluidized bed-granulation using a granulation liquid containing astaxanthin and emulsifier, with the mass ratio of the astaxanthin to emulsifier (astaxanthin / emulsifier) of more than 0 and less than 0.125.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing a granular composition containing astaxanthin.

Background Art

[0002] Astaxanthin has attracted attention as a component having an "antioxidant action" of scavenging active oxygen, and in recent years, it has also been widely distributed as a raw material for health foods. Astaxanthin is a kind of natural carotenoid pigment and is widely distributed in nature. For example, it is abundantly contained in fish such as salmon and sea bream, crustaceans such as crabs, shrimps, and krill, and algae.

[0003] So far, a composition containing astaxanthin and an emulsifier, which has been powdered by spray drying, has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 6). When powdering by the above spray drying, an excipient or the like is required, and there is a problem that components other than astaxanthin in the product increase.

[0004] In addition, when the astaxanthin is blended into a powder, it may be considered to go through a step of adsorbing it to a powder such as an excipient. However, in this case, there is a problem that the yield is poor and loss occurs, so that a charge considering the yield is required. Further, it may be considered to blend a powder obtained by spray drying, but there is a problem that it takes time and effort.

[0005] Therefore, at present, there is a strong demand for the prompt provision of a technology that can efficiently blend a desired blending amount even when the blending amount of astaxanthin is small and can be easily manufactured.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

[0007] The present invention aims to solve the aforementioned problems of the conventional approach and achieve the following objectives. Specifically, the present invention aims to provide a method for producing a granular composition containing astaxanthin that can efficiently incorporate a desired amount of astaxanthin even when the amount of astaxanthin is small, and that can be easily manufactured. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the aforementioned problems, the present inventors conducted diligent research and found that by performing fluid bed granulation using a granulation liquid containing astaxanthin and an emulsifier in a specific mass ratio, it is possible to efficiently incorporate the desired amount of astaxanthin even when the amount of astaxanthin is small, and the product can be easily manufactured. Furthermore, the resulting granular composition exhibits good solubility.

[0009] The present invention is based on the inventors' aforementioned findings, and the means for solving the aforementioned problems are as follows: <1> A method for producing a granular composition containing astaxanthin, This includes fluid bed granulation using a granulation liquid containing astaxanthin and an emulsifier. The present invention relates to a method for producing a granular composition characterized in that the mass ratio of astaxanthin to the emulsifier (astaxanthin / emulsifier) ​​is greater than 0 and less than 0.125. <2> The astaxanthin content in the granular composition is less than 6% by mass. <1> This is a method for producing the granular composition described above. <3> The emulsifier is at least one of decaglycerin monolaurate and decaglycerin monomyristate. <1> from <2> This is a method for producing the granular composition described in any of the above. <4> The granular composition is used in beverages. <1> from <3> This is a method for producing the granular composition described in any of the above. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to solve the aforementioned problems in the conventional method, achieve the aforementioned objectives, efficiently incorporate the desired amount of astaxanthin even when the amount of astaxanthin is small, and easily manufacture a granular composition containing astaxanthin. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1A] Figure 1A shows the appearance of the granular composition of Example 1. [Figure 1B] Figure 1B shows the results of confirming the solubility of the granular composition of Example 1. [Figure 2A] Figure 2A shows the appearance of the granular composition of Example 2. [Figure 2B] Figure 2B shows the results of confirming the solubility of the granular composition of Example 2. [Figure 3A] Figure 3A shows the appearance of the composition of Comparative Example 1. [Figure 3B] Figure 3B shows the results of the solubility test for the composition of Comparative Example 1. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows the results of the solubility test for the composition of Comparative Example 2. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] (Method for Producing Granular Composition) The method for producing the granular composition of the present invention includes at least a granulation step and, if necessary, further includes other steps.

[0013] <Granulation Step> The granulation step is a step of performing fluidized bed granulation using a granulation liquid containing astaxanthin and an emulsifier.

[0014] -Granulation Liquid- The granulation liquid contains at least astaxanthin and an emulsifier, and may further contain other components if necessary.

[0015] --Astaxanthin-- In the present specification, astaxanthin refers to a general term for astaxanthin and its derivatives. That is, the emulsified composition contains at least one selected from the group consisting of astaxanthin and its derivatives as astaxanthin. The derivatives of astaxanthin are not particularly limited and can be appropriately selected according to the purpose. For example, esters of astaxanthin can be mentioned.

[0016] As the astaxanthin, in addition to astaxanthin derived from natural products such as plants, algae, crustaceans, and bacteria, synthetic products of astaxanthin obtained according to conventional methods can also be used. The astaxanthin can be extracted from cultures such as, for example, the red yeast Phaffia, the green alga Haematococcus, marine bacteria, and krill. Among these, from the viewpoints of quality and productivity, astaxanthin derived from an extract of Haematococcus algae or an extract of krill is preferable, and astaxanthin derived from an extract of Haematococcus algae is particularly preferable.

[0017] Specific examples of the Haematococcus algae mentioned above include Haematococcus pluvialis, Haematococcus lacustris, Haematococcus capensis, Haematococcus droebakensis, and Haematococcus zimbabwiensis.

[0018] The extract from Haematococcus algae can be obtained by disrupting the cell walls of the Haematococcus algae as needed by a method disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 5-68585, etc., and adding an organic solvent such as acetone, ether, chloroform, alcohol (ethanol, methanol, etc.), or an extraction solvent such as supercritical carbon dioxide.

[0019] There are no particular restrictions on the astaxanthin content in the extract from Haematococcus algae, and it can be appropriately selected depending on the purpose.

[0020] The astaxanthin mentioned above may be a commercially available product or may be prepared as appropriate.

[0021] There are no particular restrictions on the astaxanthin content (amount blended) in the granular composition, and it can be appropriately selected depending on the purpose. However, it is preferably less than 6% by mass, and more preferably 0.06% to 0.20% by mass, relative to the total amount of the granular composition. Being within this preferred range is advantageous because it allows for easier granulation and the resulting granular composition has better solubility.

[0022] --emulsifier-- The emulsifier is not particularly limited as long as it can be used in food and beverages, and can be appropriately selected according to the purpose. Examples include decaglycerin monolaurate, decaglycerin monomyristate, decaglycerin monooleate, pentaglicerin monolaurate, pentaglicerin monomyristate, decaglycerin monostearate, decaglycerin monocaprate, sucrose myristic acid ester, sucrose stearate ester, and lecithin. These may be used individually or in combination of two or more. There are no particular restrictions on the HLB of the emulsifier, and it can be appropriately selected depending on the purpose, for example, 12 to 17.

[0023] Among the emulsifiers mentioned above, at least one of decaglycerin monolaurate and decaglycerin monomyristate is preferred because it exhibits superior effects.

[0024] The emulsifier may be a commercially available product or one that has been prepared as appropriate.

[0025] There are no particular restrictions on the content (amount) of the emulsifier in the granular composition, and it can be appropriately selected depending on the purpose, but it is preferably 1% to 3% by mass relative to the total amount of the granular composition. Within this preferred range is advantageous because it allows for easier granulation and the resulting granular composition has better solubility. When two or more emulsifiers are used in combination as the emulsifier, there are no particular restrictions on the mixing ratio (mass ratio) of each emulsifier, and they can be appropriately selected according to the purpose.

[0026] The mass ratio (mixing ratio) of astaxanthin to the emulsifier is not particularly limited as long as the astaxanthin / emulsifier ratio is greater than 0 and less than 0.125, and can be appropriately selected depending on the purpose, but 0.02 to 0.10 is preferred. Being within this preferred range is advantageous because it allows for easier granulation and the resulting granular composition has better solubility.

[0027] --Other ingredients-- Other components in the granulation liquid are not particularly limited as long as they do not impair the effects of the present invention, and for example, components that can be used in food and beverages can be appropriately selected. The other components in the granulation liquid may be used alone or in combination of two or more. There are no particular restrictions on the ingredients that can be used in the aforementioned food and beverages, and they can be appropriately selected according to the purpose. Examples include antioxidants, vegetable oils, edible oils, sweeteners, pH adjusters, flavorings, acidulants, colorings, and defoaming agents. These may be used individually or in combination of two or more. There are no particular restrictions on the amount of other components in the granulation liquid that are blended into the granular composition, and they can be appropriately selected depending on the purpose.

[0028] There are no particular restrictions on the method for preparing the granulation liquid, and it can be appropriately selected depending on the purpose. For example, one method involves mixing the emulsifier and the astaxanthin, heating to dissolve them, obtaining a mixture of the emulsifier and astaxanthin, and then adding this mixture to heated water to obtain a granulation liquid.

[0029] There are no particular restrictions on the temperature at which the emulsifier and astaxanthin are mixed and heated to dissolve; it can be appropriately selected depending on the purpose. However, a temperature above 70°C is preferred, 75°C to 90°C is more preferred, and 75°C to 85°C is particularly preferred. Within this preferred range is advantageous in that the granulated liquid can be prepared more easily.

[0030] There are no particular restrictions on the water used, and it can be appropriately selected depending on the purpose. Examples include natural water, purified water, distilled water, ion-exchanged water, pure water, and ultrapure water (such as Milli-Q water). These may be used individually or in combination of two or more types.

[0031] There are no particular restrictions on the temperature of the heated water, and it can be appropriately selected depending on the purpose, but it is preferable that it be about the same as the heating temperature when preparing the mixture of the emulsifier and astaxanthin described above.

[0032] There are no particular restrictions on the content (concentration) of astaxanthin in the granulation liquid, and it can be appropriately selected depending on the purpose, but 0.05% to 1.0% by mass is preferred. Being within this preferred range is advantageous in that the stability of the granulation liquid can be maintained for a long period of time.

[0033] There are no particular restrictions on the content (concentration) of the emulsifier in the granulating liquid, and it can be appropriately selected depending on the purpose, but 1% to 15% by mass is preferred. Being within this preferred range is advantageous because it minimizes the impact on the taste of the powdered beverage.

[0034] There are no particular restrictions on the content (concentration) of the other components in the granulating liquid, and they can be appropriately selected depending on the purpose.

[0035] - Fluidized bed granulation - As for the fluidized bed granulation method, a known fluidized bed granulation method can be appropriately selected, other than using the granulation liquid. For example, one method involves introducing the powder to be incorporated into the granular composition into a fluidized bed granulator, mixing it, forming a layer in which the powder flows, and then granulating it while spraying the granulation liquid onto it to obtain the granular composition. The granular composition obtained by the fluid bed granulation described above may be dried or cooled as needed to obtain a granular composition. Alternatively, other optional components may be added and mixed to obtain a granular composition.

[0036] The powders to be incorporated into the granular composition are not particularly limited as long as they do not impair the effects of the present invention. For example, ingredients that can be used in food and beverages can be appropriately selected. Examples include collagen (sometimes called collagen peptide), hyaluronic acid, placenta extract, lactic acid bacteria, ubiquinone, dietary fiber, dextrin, indigestible dextrin, medium-chain fatty acids, rice oil, rapeseed oil, soybean oil, sugar alcohols, monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides, plant extracts, sweeteners, acidulants, L-ascorbic acid and its derivatives and their salts, riboflavin, cyanocobalamin, thiamine and its salts, pyridoxine and its salts, retinol and its derivatives, carotenoids, tocopherol and its derivatives, pantothenic acid and its salts, folic acid, niacin and its derivatives, amino acids, flavorings, acidulants, pH adjusters, and colorants. These may be used individually or in combination of two or more. There are no particular restrictions on the amount of powder to be incorporated into the granular composition, and it can be appropriately selected depending on the purpose.

[0037] There are no particular restrictions on the conditions such as temperature, airflow rate, and spray speed during the fluidized bed granulation process, and these can be appropriately selected according to the purpose.

[0038] <Other processes> The aforementioned other steps are not particularly limited as long as they do not impair the effects of the present invention, and can be appropriately selected depending on the purpose. Examples include a drying step, a cooling step, and an optional component blending step.

[0039] The drying step is a step of drying the granular composition obtained by the fluid bed granulation. There are no particular restrictions on the drying temperature and other conditions mentioned above; they can be appropriately selected according to the purpose. There are no particular restrictions on the degree of drying, and it can be appropriately selected according to the purpose.

[0040] The cooling step is a step of cooling the granular composition. The cooling step can be performed, for example, before the step of blending optional components. By performing the cooling step, if there are optional components that are susceptible to adverse effects from heat, the effects of heat can be reduced.

[0041] The optional component blending step involves adding the optional component to the granular composition, mixing it, and obtaining a granular composition containing the optional component. There are no particular restrictions on the aforementioned optional components, and they can be appropriately selected depending on the purpose. For example, they can be the same as the powders used in the granular composition described above.

[0042] There are no particular restrictions on the use of the granular composition, and it can be appropriately selected according to the purpose. For example, it can be used as a granular preparation, a capsule, or dissolved in a liquid to be used as a beverage. Among these, it can be suitably used as a beverage. There are no particular restrictions on the type of beverage, and they can be appropriately selected according to the purpose. Examples include soft drinks, dairy beverages, and alcoholic beverages. The beverages also include beverages for specified health uses, beverages with functional claims, and liquid pharmaceuticals and quasi-drugs.

[0043] The present invention provides a method for producing a granular composition in which a desired amount of astaxanthin can be efficiently incorporated even when the amount of astaxanthin is small, and the granular composition can be easily produced. Furthermore, the granular composition has good solubility in liquids such as water. [Examples]

[0044] The present invention will be specifically described below with reference to examples, comparative examples, and test examples, but the present invention is not limited to these in any way.

[0045] (Example 1) A granular composition was produced using a fluidized bed granulator (FD-MP-01, manufactured by Paulex Co., Ltd.) in the following manner. Collagen, dextrin, and sugar alcohol were placed in a fluid bed granulator and mixed for 10 minutes. An emulsifier (decaglycerin monomyristate (SY Glister MM-750 (manufactured by Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.))) and an astaxanthin preparation (FUJIFILM Astaxanthin 10OC (astaxanthin content 10% by mass, manufactured by Fujifilm Corporation)) were mixed and heated to 80°C to obtain a mixture of emulsifier and astaxanthin. The mixture of emulsifier and astaxanthin was added to water heated to 80°C to obtain a granulated liquid. The concentration of the emulsifier in the granulated liquid was 10.0% by mass, and the concentration of astaxanthin was 0.465% by mass. The aforementioned granulation liquid was placed in the binder liquid tank of a fluid bed granulator, and granulation was performed under conditions of a liquid temperature of 80°C ± 2°C, an intake air temperature setting of 80°C, and an exhaust air temperature setting of 40°C or higher. Next, drying (intake air temperature set to 80°C, exhaust air temperature set to 53°C or higher) and cooling (intake air temperature set to 0°C, exhaust air temperature set to less than 40°C) were performed, after which the fragrance and acidulant were added and mixed for 5 minutes to obtain a granular composition.

[0046] The composition of the granular composition obtained above is as follows: • Astaxanthin preparations ··· 0.93% by mass • Emulsifier ··· 2.0% by mass • Collagen • 37.5% by mass • Dextrin ··· 36.7% by mass • Sugar alcohols ··· 15.0% by mass · Fragrance ··· 5.0% by mass · Acidulant ··· 3.5% by mass

[0047] The appearance of the granular composition obtained above is shown in Figure 1A. Figure 1B shows the state after dissolving 7.5 g of the granular composition obtained above in 100 mL of water and stirring five times. As shown in Figure 1A, it was confirmed that granules can be produced by the manufacturing method of the present invention. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1B, it was confirmed that the obtained granular composition exhibits good solubility.

[0048] (Example 2) A granular composition was produced using a fluidized bed granulator (FD-MP-01, manufactured by Paulex Co., Ltd.) in the following manner. Collagen, dextrin, and sugar alcohol were placed in a fluid bed granulator and mixed for 10 minutes. An emulsifier (decaglycerin monomyristate (SY Glister MM-750 (manufactured by Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.))) and an astaxanthin preparation (FUJIFILM Astaxanthin 10OC (astaxanthin content 10% by mass, manufactured by Fujifilm Corporation)) were mixed and heated to 80°C to obtain a mixture of emulsifier and astaxanthin. The mixture of emulsifier and astaxanthin was added to water heated to 80°C to obtain a granulated liquid. The concentration of the emulsifier in the granulated liquid was 10.0% by mass, and the concentration of astaxanthin was 0.325% by mass. The aforementioned granulation liquid was placed in the binder liquid tank of a fluid bed granulator, and granulation was performed under conditions of a liquid temperature of 80°C ± 2°C, an intake air temperature setting of 80°C, and an exhaust air temperature setting of 40°C or higher. Next, drying (intake air temperature set to 80°C, exhaust air temperature set to 53°C or higher) and cooling (intake air temperature set to 0°C, exhaust air temperature set to less than 40°C) were performed, after which the fragrance and acidulant were added and mixed for 5 minutes to obtain a granular composition.

[0049] The composition of the granular composition obtained above is as follows: • Astaxanthin preparations ··· 0.65% by mass • Emulsifier ··· 2.0% by mass • Collagen • 37.5% by mass • Dextrin ··· 36.35% by mass • Sugar alcohols ··· 15.0% by mass · Fragrance ··· 5.0% by mass · Acidulant ··· 3.5% by mass

[0050] The appearance of the granular composition obtained above is shown in Figure 2A. Figure 2B shows the state after dissolving 7.5 g of the granular composition obtained above in 100 mL of water and stirring five times. As shown in Figure 2A, it was confirmed that granules can be produced by the manufacturing method of the present invention. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2B, it was confirmed that the obtained granular composition exhibits good solubility.

[0051] (Comparative Example 1) Collagen was mixed with an astaxanthin preparation (FUJIFILM Astaxanthin 10OC (astaxanthin content 10% by mass, manufactured by Fujifilm Corporation)) dropwise and mixed with a mixer. Then, dextrin was added and the mixture was diluted, and then flavorings and acidulants were added and mixed again to obtain a composition with the following composition.

[0052] The composition of the composition obtained above is as follows: • Astaxanthin preparations ··· 0.65% by mass • Collagen • 37.5% by mass • Dextrin ··· 53.35% by mass · Fragrance ··· 5.0% by mass · Acidulant ··· 3.5% by mass

[0053] The appearance of the composition obtained above is shown in Figure 3A. Figure 3B shows the state after dissolving 7.5 g of the composition obtained above in 100 mL of water and stirring five times. As shown in Figure 3A, the manufacturing method of Comparative Example 1 failed to produce granules uniformly containing astaxanthin, and as shown in Figure 3B, the resulting composition had poor solubility.

[0054] (Comparative Example 2) An emulsifier (decaglycerin monomyristate (SY Glister MM-750 (manufactured by Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.)))) was added to the composition prepared in Comparative Example 1 and mixed to obtain a composition with the following composition. This composition was obtained by adding an emulsifier to the composition of Comparative Example 1, which could not be granulated, but like Comparative Example 1, it could not be granulated.

[0055] The composition of the composition obtained above is as follows: • Astaxanthin preparations ··· 0.65% by mass • Emulsifier ··· 2.0% by mass • Collagen • 37.5% by mass • Dextrin ··· 51.35% by mass · Fragrance ··· 5.0% by mass · Acidulant ··· 3.5% by mass

[0056] Figure 4 shows the state after dissolving 7.5 g of the composition obtained above in 100 mL of water and stirring five times. As shown in Figure 4, the resulting composition had poor solubility.

[0057] (Test Example 1) A granular composition was produced using a fluidized bed granulator (FD-MP-01, manufactured by Paulex Co., Ltd.) in the following manner. Components selected from the collagen peptides, dextrins, and indigestible dextrins listed in Tables 1 to 3 were placed in a fluid bed granulator and mixed for 10 minutes. The emulsifiers listed in Tables 1 to 3 and the astaxanthin preparations listed in Tables 1 to 3 were mixed and heated to 80°C to obtain a mixture of emulsifier and astaxanthin. The mixture of emulsifier and astaxanthin was added to water heated to 80°C to obtain a granulated liquid. The concentrations of the emulsifier and astaxanthin in the granulated liquid were as shown in Tables 1 to 3. The aforementioned granulation liquid was placed in the binder liquid tank of a fluid bed granulator, and granulation was performed under conditions of a liquid temperature of 80°C ± 2°C, an intake air temperature setting of 80°C, and an exhaust air temperature setting of 40°C or higher. Next, drying (intake air temperature setting 80°C, exhaust air temperature setting 53°C or higher) and cooling (intake air temperature setting 0°C, exhaust air temperature setting less than 40°C) were performed to obtain the composition.

[0058] <Rating> The obtained composition was visually inspected to determine whether or not it was granulated (○: granulated, ×: not granulated). Furthermore, 7.5 g of the composition obtained above was dissolved in 100 mL of water, and the state after stirring five times was visually inspected, and the solubility was evaluated according to the following evaluation criteria. <Criteria for evaluating solubility> ○: The composition is in a dissolved state. ×: The composition is not dissolved.

[0059] The results are shown in Tables 1 to 3 below.

[0060] [Table 1]

[0061] [Table 2]

[0062] [Table 3]

[0063] As shown in Tables 1 to 3, it was confirmed that a granular composition with good solubility can be obtained when the mass ratio of astaxanthin to emulsifier (astaxanthin / emulsifier) ​​is less than 0.125.

[0064] The astaxanthin preparation and emulsifier used in Test Example 1 are as follows: <Astaxanthin preparations> • FUJIFILM Astaxanthin 10OC (Astaxanthin content 10% by mass, manufactured by Fujifilm Corporation) <Emulsifier> • Decaglycerin monolaurate (SY Glister ML-750 (manufactured by Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.)) • Decaglycerin monomyristate (SY Glister MM-750 (manufactured by Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.))

[0065] As shown above, the method of the present invention allows for the efficient incorporation of a desired amount of astaxanthin even when the amount of astaxanthin is small, and enables the easy production of a granular composition containing astaxanthin. Furthermore, the obtained granular composition exhibits good solubility.

Claims

1. A method for producing a granular composition containing astaxanthin, This includes fluid bed granulation using a granulation liquid containing astaxanthin and an emulsifier. The mass ratio of astaxanthin to the emulsifier (astaxanthin / emulsifier) ​​is greater than 0 and less than 0.

125. A method for producing a granular composition, characterized in that the emulsifier is at least one of decaglycerin monolaurate and decaglycerin monomyristate.

2. A method for producing the granular composition according to claim 1, wherein the astaxanthin content in the granular composition is less than 6% by mass.

3. The method for producing the granular composition according to claim 1, wherein the astaxanthin content in the granular composition is 0.06% by mass to 0.20% by mass.

4. A method for producing a granular composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the granular composition is used in a beverage.

Images