Stabilizing Reduced Coenzyme Q10 with Licorice Extract
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Solution Overview
Problem
Reduced coenzyme Q10 is prone to oxidation, making it challenging to stabilize and use in food, nutritional supplements, and pharmaceutical products due to the difficulty in completely removing oxygen during processing and preservation, which leads to quality issues and potential side effects from by-products like dehydroascorbic acid.
Innovation Solution
A method using a licorice hydrophobic extract to reduce and stabilize oxidized coenzyme Q10, forming a composition with reduced coenzyme Q10 and licorice hydrophobic extract, which improves the stability and safety of reduced coenzyme Q10 for use in various products.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If general reducing agents (sodium borohydride, sodium dithionite) are used to reduce oxidized coenzyme Q10, then reduced coenzyme Q10 can be obtained, but the product requires further processing to become usable for edibles and cosmetics
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses ascorbic acid as an intermediary reducing agent that naturally occurs in food systems, replacing harsh chemical reducing agents. This mediator enables the reduction of oxidized coenzyme Q10 to a form suitable for edibles and cosmetics without requiring extensive additional processing, thus resolving the contradiction between production efficiency and ease of manufacture.
2Stability of the object's composition
If oxygen is completely removed during processing and preservation, then reduced coenzyme Q10 stability is improved, but complete removal or blocking of oxygen is extremely difficult and remaining oxygen exerts adverse effects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs ascorbic acid, which naturally occurs in food systems and automatically reduces oxidized coenzyme Q10 back to its reduced form without requiring external intervention or complex oxygen removal systems. This self-service mechanism maintains reduced coenzyme Q10 stability through the inherent reducing capability of ascorbic acid, resolving the contradiction between stability improvement and system complexity.
3Stability of the object's composition
If ascorbic acid is used as a reducing agent, then reduced coenzyme Q10 can be stabilized, but ascorbic acid is oxidized to produce dehydroascorbic acid which causes quality problems and side effects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the ascorbic acid to oxidized coenzyme Q10 ratio to exceed the stoichiometric requirement, ensuring complete reduction while minimizing dehydroascorbic acid formation. By controlling this parameter and using the natural reducing capability of ascorbic acid in food-grade amounts, the patent achieves stabilization of reduced coenzyme Q10 while keeping harmful by-products within acceptable limits for edible and cosmetic applications.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method effectively stabilizes reduced coenzyme Q10, preventing oxidation and ensuring its safety and efficacy as a nutritional and pharmaceutical ingredient, while also utilizing a safe and food-grade licorice extract for enhanced stability and bioactive effects.
Implementation Method 1
oxidized coenzyme Q 10 may be reduced with a general reducing agent such as sodium borohydride, sodium hydrosulfite (sodium dithionite) and the like
Implementation Method 2
reduced coenzyme Q 10 shows high oral absorbability, and is a compound useful as a superior food... oxidized coenzyme Q 10 is also called vitamin Q due to its function like a vitamin, and is a component that rejuvenates the body
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a stabilization method of reduced coenzyme Q10 useful as food, food with nutrient function claims, food for specified health uses, nutritional supplement, nutritional supplement, animal drugs, drinks, feeds, cosmetics, pharmaceutical products, therapeutic drugs, prophylactic drugs and the like, as well as a stabilized composition. Furthermore, it provides a convenient production method of reduced coenzyme Q10 using oxidized coenzyme Q10 as a starting material. In the present invention, oxidation of reduced coenzyme Q10 can be suppressed, and reduced coenzyme Q10 can be stably maintained by the co-presence of a licorice hydrophobic extract and reduced coenzyme Q10. In addition, reduced coenzyme Q10 can be produced by the co-presence of oxidized coenzyme Q10 and a licorice hydrophobic extract.