E161b Lutein, Lutein esters E 161b, 127-40-2

CAS Registry Number 127-40-2

Food additive in the category of natural colorants, obtained from grass species, nettles and marigold flowers. It is easily soluble in water, it gives a yellow color and it can be used in all food types, according to the recipes.

Name of Food Additive:

Lutein 1% Food Colorant E161b

Component List:

Water, Modified starch (E1450), Vegetable oil (coconut), Lutein (E161b), Citric acid (E330), Ascorbic acid (E300), Sodium benzoate (E211), Alpha-tocopherol (E307) Ascorbylpalmitate (E304).

Resolution:
Soluble in water .

Physical Description

Lutein occurs as a free-flowing, orange-red powder. It is the purified fraction obtained from saponification of the oleoresin of Tagetes erecta L. Lutein from Tagetes erecta L. is a purified extract of xanthophylls obtained from marigold oleoresin. The oleoresin is prepared from hexane extracts of marigold (Tagetes erecta L) flowers, saponified with potassium hydroxide in either methanol or propylene glycol. The resulting crystalline material contains lutein, and minor components including other carotenoids and waxes.

Tagetes extract occurs as a dark yellow to brown liquid. The major coloring principles are lutein and helenien (dipalmitate of lutein) and they are obtained by the hexane extraction of dried petals of Tagetes erecta L., with subsequent solvent removal. Lutein esters from Tagetes erecta is obtained by solvent extraction of dried petals of Tagetes erecta L., further purification and subsequent removal of solvents under vacuum.

Common Uses

Lutein esters from Tagetes erecta and lutein from Tagetes erecta can be used as food colors in a wide range of baked goods and baking mixes, beverages and beverage bases, breakfast cereals, chewing gum, dairy product analogues, egg products, fats and oils, frozen dairy desserts and mixes, gravies and sauces, soft and hard candy, infant and toddler foods, milk products, processed fruits and fruit juices, soups and soup mixes.