The present invention relates to a process for the thermal isomerization of a mixture of all-E-lycopene and its Z isomers of any composition to increase the proportion of all-E, wherein the isomerization takes place in a polar solvent in which lycopene is only slightly soluble.

A method for synthesizing intermediates for use in the synthesis of carotenoid synthetic intermediates, carotenoid analogs, and/or carotenoid derivatives. The carotenoid analog, derivative, or intermediate may be administered to a subject for the inhibition and/or amelioration of any disease that involves production of reactive oxygen species, reactive nitrogen species, radicals and/or non-radicals. In some embodiments, the invention may include methods for synthesizing chemical compounds includ...

A powdered water-dispersible carotenoid preparation in the form of discrete carotenoid microparticles is prepared by milling a carotenoid in an aqueous medium in the presence of a hydrocolloid so as to form a suspension, heating the suspension thus formed to a sufficiently high temperature to cause a total or partial melting of the carotenoid and cooling, finely dividing and drying the suspension to form a powder.

A method for inhibiting and/or ameliorating the occurrence of diseases associated with reactive oxygen species, reactive nitrogen species, radicals and/or non-radicals in a subject whereby a subject is administered a carotenoid analog or derivative, either alone or in combination with another carotenoid analog or derivative, or co-antioxidant formulation. The analog or derivative is administered such that the subject's risk of experiencing diseases associated with reactive oxygen species, reacti...

A process for preparing .beta.-carotene, represented by Formula 3 ##STR1## staring from a sulfone compound of Formula B ##STR2##

.beta.-Carotene products with a high proportion of the 9(Z) isomer are prepared starting from mother liquors from the industrial preparation of .beta.-ionylideneethyltriarylphosphonium salts (C.sub.15 -triarylphosphonium salts) by Wittig reaction of a C.sub.15 -triarylphosphonium salt which has been enriched in the 9Z isomer directly with .beta.-apo-12'-carotenal or else with 2,7-dimethyl-2,4,6-octatrienedial and subsequently with the C.sub.15 -triarylphosphonium salt and subsequent thermal isom...

There are disclosed a composition containing 9-cis .beta.-carotene in high-purity and an industrially applicable method of obtaining the same from an alga. The composition can be obtained through steps of washing with ethanol dry powder of the alga belonging to Dunaliella, adding hexane to the washed algal powder, stirring the same, subjecting the same to filtration to obtain a filtrate, concentrating the filtrate to obtain a semi-solidic concentrate, adding hexane to the semi-solidic concentrat...

A process of preparing symmetric C.sub.40 -carotenoids by reacting a C.sub.15 -triphenylphosphonium salt of the formula ##STR1## and a 2,5-bis(1,1-dialkoxy-2-propyl)-2,5-dihydrofuran to form a reaction product containing a diacetyl and a triphenylphosphonium salt, adding a strong base to the reaction product to convert the triphenylphosphonium salt to a carbenium ion, hydrolyzing the diacetyl to a dialdehyde, subjecting the dialdehyde and the carbenium ion to a Wittig reaction to prepare a Witti...

A process for the recovery of carotenes and the production of carotene concentrate from natural oils and fats. The carotene-containing natural oils and fats is subjected to alcoholic esterification to form a mixture of fatty acid alkyl esters, carotenes, tocopherols and tocotrienols. The alkyl esters mixture is subjected to vacuum distillation at a pressure of less than 60 mTorr and a temperature of less than 180.degree. C. to form a carotene-rich concentrate. The carotenes in the carotene-rich ...

Chromoplasts and/or chloroplasts are isolated from plant material. This wet mass is digested in aqueous medium with pectin- and/or protein-cleaving enzymes, insoluble substances are removed, and a carotinoid-rich sediment is obtained after acidifying the separated colloid disperse system. The sediment is heated at alkaline pH with aqueous ethanol or isopropyl alcohol to remove the major part of cleaved proteins, lipides and other accompanying substances. The sediment with enriched carotenoid con...