Liquid Carotenoid Formulation with Protective Colloid

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing carotenoid formulations face challenges with poor solubility in water, chemical instability, and bioavailability, requiring innovative approaches to achieve stable and effective color yields in liquid form.

Innovation Solution

A liquid carotenoid formulation incorporating a hydrophilic protective colloid like starch octenyl succinate and glycerol, with carotenoids in the nanometer range, providing stability and ease of production without additional effort.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If carotenoids are dispersed in water without protective colloids, then the formulation is simple, but the carotenoids exhibit poor solubility and chemical instability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesimplicity of formulationVSAvoidstability of carotenoids
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces protective colloids (starch, modified starch, or starch derivatives) as intermediary substances between carotenoids and water. These colloids form protective layers around carotenoid particles, preventing aggregation and oxidation while maintaining dispersion stability. This mediator approach resolves the contradiction by enabling water-based formulation without sacrificing carotenoid stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention creates composite formulations combining carotenoids with protective colloids in aqueous media. The composite structure consists of carotenoid particles stabilized by adsorbed protective colloid layers, forming a stable dispersion system. This composite approach simultaneously achieves simplicity of formulation and reliability of carotenoid stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If carotenoids are ground to nanometer particle size, then bioavailability and color yields improve, but the production process becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebioavailability and color yieldsVSAvoidcomplexity of grinding process
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies protective colloids to carotenoid particles before or during the grinding process. This preliminary protection prevents particle aggregation during size reduction and maintains nanometer-scale dispersion. By preparing the protective colloid system in advance, the actual grinding process becomes simpler and more effective, reducing overall process complexity while achieving the desired particle size for improved bioavailability and color yields.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Protective colloids act as intermediaries during the grinding process, preventing carotenoid particle aggregation and facilitating size reduction to nanometer range. The colloidal protective layer enables efficient milling by reducing particle-particle interactions, thereby simplifying the grinding process while achieving the required particle size for optimal bioavailability and color performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of manufacture

If carotenoids are formulated in powder form, then storage is easier, but the user must perform additional preparation to create liquid formulations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of storageVSAvoidease of use by user
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional approach by formulating carotenoids directly as stable liquid dispersions rather than converting them to powder form. The protective colloid system enables this inversion by providing sufficient stability to carotenoid particles in aqueous media, eliminating the need for powder formulation while maintaining storage ease and improving user convenience through direct liquid application.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

4Device complexity

If conventional grinding processes are used without protective colloids, then the process is simpler, but the resulting formulations have poor stability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesimplicity of processVSAvoidstability of formulation
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces protective colloids as intermediary substances that stabilize carotenoid particles during grinding and in the final formulation. These colloids adsorb onto particle surfaces, preventing aggregation and oxidation without significantly complicating the grinding process. The mediator approach maintains process simplicity while dramatically improving formulation stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the chemical environment parameters by introducing protective colloids with specific surface properties. This parameter change modifies particle-surface interactions during grinding and stabilizes the final dispersion. The parameter modification approach enables simple grinding processes to produce stable formulations by altering the chemical rather than mechanical parameters.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 formulation achieves stable and bioavailable carotenoids with improved color yields, suitable for use in animal feeds, foods, and pharmaceuticals, enhancing their application in various sectors.

Implementation Method 1

a liquid formulation which, in addition to a carotenoid and a hydrophilic protective colloid, contains at least one water-miscible alcohol

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectColloidal protection: Colloid

Implementation Method 2

contains at least one water-miscible alcohol... the average particle size of the carotenoid crystals and the hydrophilic protective colloid being

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSolubility enhancement: Solvation

Data Source

PatentEP2111125B2Liquid formulations comprising carotenoids
Publication Date: 2016.11.16 BASF SE

AI summary

The present invention relates to a liquid formulation containing at least one carotenoid, at least one hydrophilic protective colloid and at least one water-miscible alcohol. The formulation according to the invention can be added directly to aqueous or non-aqueous preparations. The invention compositions can be used in animal feed, human food or a dietary supplement and in pharmaceutical and cosmetic preparations.