JP2008255069A - Functional food material and method for producing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a functional food material which is an emulsified composition of a carotenoid improving absorbency in living bodies and dissolves clear in water in order to exhibit prophylaxis and amelioration of diseases such as cataract, age-related macular degeneration etc., or other functional effects. <P>SOLUTION: The functional food material is obtained by formulating a fat-soluble substance composed of a carotenoid compound and a carotenoid mixture with an emulsifying agent such as a polyglycerol fatty acid ester or a sucrose fatty acid ester, a polyhydric alcohol, water, lecithin and a ceramide and carrying out an emulsification treatment at 0-100°C. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a functional food material that can enhance the absorbability of carotenoids to a living body, that is, excellent in absorbability to a living body, and that can be clearly dissolved in water, and a method for producing the same.

  The carotenoids are said to exhibit an excellent antioxidant action, and are effective in reducing the risk of developing cancer and preventing diseases such as cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.

  A decisive treatment for age-related macular degeneration has not yet been developed, but one promising treatment is the injection of a photosensitive substance into a vein and a constant-wavelength semiconductor laser that easily reacts with the substance. There is known a method for aiming at occlusion of a new blood vessel with active oxygen caused by the above. However, the surgical technique is difficult and may cause complications such as retinal detachment and strabismus after the operation. In this sense, even though it is a developing treatment, it is problematic because it is not covered by health insurance. Many.

  Since eye diseases such as cataracts and age-related macular degeneration are difficult to treat after onset, there is a need to prevent the disease in some way, and it is particularly important to prevent these diseases by ingesting food. It is said.

  Conventionally, among those that are effective for cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, etc., it is considered preferable to drink blueberries. In other words, anthocyanins contained in blueberries are effective for eye problems caused by personal computers, dry eyes, blurred eyes, and other problems related to modern eyes. However, the ingestion of blueberries alone is not always sufficient for the improvement of serious diseases such as cataracts and age-related macular degeneration, and it cannot be said to be a fundamental treatment method effective for the prevention of these diseases.

  For prevention and improvement of diseases such as cataract and age-related macular degeneration, it has been reported that carotenoid compounds such as lutein and astaxanthin are effective (see, for example, Non-Patent Document 1 and Non-Patent Document 2).

  Lutein and astaxanthin work to increase macular pigment concentration, an important factor for healthy macular and retina, and have been found to have a very low incidence of cataracts. These carotenoids are contained in vegetables and fruits, but since they are extremely small, they are reported to be extracted and emulsified with oil or organic solvent to be applied to the food and cosmetic fields (for example, Patent Document 1).

  Also reported is a technique in which these carotenoids are mixed with an aqueous solution of protective colloid, the solvent component is transferred into the aqueous phase, and a hydrophobic phase such as carotenoid is generated as a nano-dispersed phase, and further in the form of a dry powder. (For example, refer to Patent Document 2).

  However, those extracted using an organic solvent are not preferred due to the problem of residual organic solvent. In addition, a technique for making a fat-soluble carotenoid water-soluble by inclusion with cyclodextrin has been reported (for example, see Patent Document 3).

Gal CR, Hall NF, Phillips DI, Martin CN, Plasma antioxidant vitamins and carotenoids and age-related cataract, Ophthalmology, 108, 1992-1998 (2001)

Bone RA, Landrum JT, Macro pigment in donor eyes with and without AMD: a case-control study, Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci, 42, 235-240 (2001) JP-T-2005-512587 JP-T-2002-543263 JP 2002-348276 A

It has not been verified whether or not carotenoids obtained by using the above-described prior arts can be rapidly absorbed into the living body.
Therefore, if a technique for obtaining a carotenoid composition excellent in absorption for a living body is invented, carotenoids can be efficiently absorbed just by ingesting a small amount thereof, and prevention and improvement of diseases such as cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. Can be expected to be effective.

  By the way, the present inventors have found that the bioabsorbability is remarkably improved by emulsifying carotenoids effective in preventing and improving diseases such as cataracts and age-related macular degeneration compared to carotenoids that are not emulsified. It was. Furthermore, when lecithin and ceramide were blended during the emulsification treatment, it was confirmed that the effect was significantly improved.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and is composed of a carotenoid emulsion composition that is effective in preventing and improving diseases such as cataracts and age-related macular degeneration, and has excellent absorbability in the living body and high safety. The purpose is to provide a food material.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a supplement for applying a carotenoid emulsified composition to tablets, capsules, powders, and the like and its raw material, or a carotenoid emulsified product as a general food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical product.

  In order to achieve the above object, the functional food material according to the present invention comprises a carotenoid emulsion composition containing ceramide and lecithin.

  The carotenoid according to claim 2, wherein the carotenoid is a carotenoid compound or a carotenoid mixture, and the carotenoid compound is α-carotene, β-carotene, γ-carotene, δ-carotene, lycopene, lutein, astaxanthin, zeaxanthin, Canthaxanthin, fucoxanthin, anteraxanthin, violaxanthin and their ester compounds, and the carotenoid mixture is a solution obtained by dissolving or suspending the carotenoid compound in a solvent, including those containing these May be.

  As described in claim 3, the ceramide may be derived from rice, wheat, corn, or straw.

  As described in claim 4, the lecithin may be one derived from soybean or egg yolk.

  As described in claim 5 or claim 6, the functional food material according to any one of claims 1 to 4 can be made into a tablet, capsule or powder to be a supplement or a raw material of supplement.

  As described in claim 7, the functional food material according to any one of claims 1 to 4 can be added to make a general food, cosmetic, or pharmaceutical.

  In order to achieve the above object, the method for producing a functional food material according to the present invention (Claim 8) includes emulsifying an emulsifier, a polyhydric alcohol, water, lecithin, ceramide, and an antioxidant with respect to the carotenoid. It is characterized by processing.

  As described in claim 9, the carotenoid is a carotenoid compound or a carotenoid mixture, and the carotenoid compound is α-carotene, β-carotene, γ-carotene, δ-carotene, lycopene, lutein, astaxanthin, zeaxanthin, Canthaxanthin, fucoxanthin, anteraxanthin, violaxanthin and their ester compounds, wherein the carotenoid mixture is a solution obtained by dissolving or suspending the carotenoid compound in a solvent, including those containing these It may be.

  As described in claim 10, the carotenoid compound or the carotenoid mixture is preferably emulsified at 20 to 180 ° C.

  The inert gas such as nitrogen gas, carbon dioxide gas, helium gas, argon gas, or the like is blended in the carotenoid compound or carotenoid mixture carotenoid as described in claim 11 or an antioxidant is mixed in the composition. It is preferable to do.

  The carotenoid solution obtained by heating and dissolving the carotenoid compound or carotenoid mixture according to claim 12 is blended with the emulsifier, the antioxidant, a polyhydric alcohol, lecithin, ceramide, water, and the like. The emulsification treatment is preferably performed at 0 to 100 ° C.

  The functional food material and the production method thereof according to the present invention have the following excellent effects.

  That is, the functional food material according to the present invention is effective in preventing and improving diseases such as cataracts and age-related macular degeneration, and is composed of a carotenoid emulsion composition containing lecithin and ceramide. And safety is high. Moreover, since the ratio of the hydrophilic group of surfactant is high, it melt | dissolves clearly with respect to water.

  According to the manufacturing method of Claim 11, decomposition | disassembly of carotenoid can be prevented by ventilating inert gas or mix | blending an antioxidant in those compositions.

  Embodiments of the functional food material and the method for producing the same according to the present invention will be described below.

  The carotenoid is obtained from a plant, algae, bacteria, or the like, or obtained by chemical synthesis, and it is preferable to use a carotenoid obtained from a plant, algae, bacteria, etc. as the functional food material of the present invention.

  In the carotenoid emulsion composition as the functional food material of the present invention, the carotenoid is a carotenoid compound or a carotenoid mixture, and the carotenoid compound is α-carotene, β-carotene, γ-carotene, δ-carotene, lycopene, lutein , Astaxanthin, zeaxanthin, canthaxanthin, fucoxanthin, anteraxanthin, violaxanthin and the like, and a carotenoid mixture means a solution obtained by dissolving or suspending a carotenoid compound in a solvent.

  Animal and vegetable oils and fats, essential oil components, and fat-soluble vitamins are used as the solvent in the functional food material of the present invention. Animal and vegetable oils include coconut oil, olive oil, soybean oil, rapeseed oil, cottonseed oil, coconut oil, corn oil, peanut oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, sesame oil, perilla oil, rice oil, castor oil, fish oil, cow oil, pork oil Chicken oil, medium chain fatty acid triglycerides and the like. Examples of the essential oil component include citrus oils such as lemon oil and orange oil, and essential oils from herbs such as mint, lavender, rose, eucalyptus and chamomile. Examples of the fat-soluble vitamins include synthetic or natural extracts such as vitamin A, vitamin D, and vitamin E. The amount of carotenoid added is in the range of 0.01 to 50% by weight, preferably 1 to 30% by weight.

  HLB (Hydrophile-Lipophile Balance) is a numerical value of the ratio of lipophilic group and hydrophilic group of surfactant. If HLB is high, there are many hydrophilic groups, HLB is 8 or more, water dispersion formulation, 11 or more In this range, the carotenoid is uniform and easy to handle.

  In addition, some of these carotenoids are bonded with esters, but if the basic skeleton is a carotenoid (free form), those bonded with esters are also carotenoid compounds (esters). body).

  The carotenoid composition of the present invention is obtained by blending an emulsifier such as polyglycerin fatty acid ester and sucrose fatty acid ester with a polyhydric alcohol, water, lecithin and ceramide and performing an emulsification treatment. The emulsifier that can be used has an HLB value of 8 or more, preferably 11 or more.

  In addition, it is particularly effective to use a mixture of a plurality of these emulsifiers, and in the present invention, a polyglycerin fatty acid ester and a sucrose fatty acid ester are mixed and used. It is possible to achieve the purpose.

  The amount of the emulsifier added is in the range of 0.5% to 50% by weight, preferably 2 to 20% by weight. Within this range, a physically stable emulsion preparation can be obtained.

  Polyhydric alcohols are used to stabilize carotenoid compositions. In general, carotenoids are fat-soluble, and water-soluble preparations and water-dispersible preparations obtained by emulsification treatment may cause separation or carotenoid recrystallization over time. Further, there is a risk of spoilage in a state where the water activity is high. By adding polyhydric alcohol, these can be avoided and the stability over time can be improved.

  The polyhydric alcohol used should just be used as raw materials, such as a foodstuff, a pharmaceutical, and cosmetics. Examples thereof include glycerin, diglycerin, triglycerin, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, glucose, sorbitol, maltitol, mannitol, xylitol, xylose, fructose, and reduced starch degradation product. For the same purpose, it is also possible to use alcohols such as dextrin, starch, modified starch and ethanol.

  Soy lecithin is generally used as the lecithin, and paste lecithin, fractionated lecithin, enzyme-treated lecithin, and chemically treated lecithin are used as types. Egg yolk lecithin can also be used, and the amount added is 0.01 to 20% by weight, preferably 0.1 to 5% by weight. This added amount has the best emulsion stability and is excellent in carotenoid bioabsorption.

  Ceramides generally include rice ceramide, wheat ceramide, corn ceramide, and straw ceramide, but any ceramide may be used. The addition amount is 0.01 to 10% by weight, preferably 0.1 to 5% by weight. This added amount is most excellent for the bioabsorption of carotenoids.

  Moreover, it is preferable to add an antioxidant in order to stabilize the carotenoid. Available antioxidants include natural or synthetic antioxidants such as synthetic dl-α-tocopherol, BHA, ascorbic acid, sodium ascorbate, ascorbyl palmitate, erythorbic acid, sodium erythorbate, etc. Naturally, extracted tocopherol, tocotrienol, rosemary extract, tea extract and the like can be mentioned.

  The mixing emulsifiers include high-speed rotating stirrers such as homogenizers, homomixers, homojetters, fill mixes, high-flex mixers, and Clare mixes, ultra-high-pressure emulsifiers such as Gorin and Lanier types, and high-pressure collisions such as nanomizers and optimizers. A type atomizer, CLEAR SS5, a grinding type atomizer such as a mass loader, a bead mill such as an ultra visco mill, a star mill, or the like can be used. In addition, a three-roll mill or an ultrasonic emulsifier can be used for the object of the present invention. In the present invention, the apparatus to be used is not particularly limited as long as it can be processed to have an average particle size of 0.1 μm or less, preferably 0.05 μm or less, but a homogenizer or a homomixer is preferably used.

  In order to produce the carotenoid composition of the present invention, it is necessary to heat and dissolve the carotenoid compound or carotenoid mixture. Therefore, it is desirable to blend animal and vegetable oils and fats, essential oil components, fat-soluble vitamins and antioxidants. It is also effective to add an emulsifier.

  The treatment conditions vary depending on the type of carotenoid and the type of emulsifier, and are not particularly limited. However, since carotenoids are hardly soluble at low temperatures and carotenoids decompose at high temperatures, it is preferable to emulsify at 20 to 180 ° C. . The heating means is not particularly limited. Carotenoids are easily decomposed by oxygen. At this time, it is also effective to ventilate an inert gas such as nitrogen gas or carbon dioxide gas in order to prevent decomposition of carotenoids.

  It is also effective to mix an antioxidant in the composition to prevent carotenoid decomposition.

  Mixing the emulsifier, the antioxidant, the polyhydric alcohol, lecithin, ceramide, water, etc. into the carotenoid solution obtained by heating and dissolving the carotenoid compound or carotenoid mixture, and emulsifying it at 0 to 100 ° C. Thus, the carotenoid emulsion composition of the present invention can be obtained. Since water is mix | blended with this-article product and it freezes at 0 degrees C or less, and there exists a possibility of boiling drying above 100 degrees C, it is necessary to emulsify at 0-100 degreeC.

  The carotenoid emulsified composition of the present invention exhibited a bioabsorption-promoting action in rats, as shown in the examples below. This physiological function was actually given to animals to verify its effects, and the enhancement of bioabsorption is effective for preventing and improving diseases such as cataracts and age-related macular degeneration, or other functional effects. It can be a food material.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to examples. In addition, this invention is not limited to the following Example.

<Example 1 Production of an emulsion of lutein>
Marigold oil no. 84790 (Lutein: total xanthophyll content 15% Saneigen FFI Co., Ltd.) 6.7% by weight, RIKEN E Oil 600G (tocopherol content 60% Riken Vitamin Co., Ltd.) 0.5% by weight, Ryo Topopolyglycerin L-7D (decaglycerin laurate HLB = 17.0, manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Foods Co., Ltd.) 3.0% by weight, Ryoto Sugar ester S-1670 (sucrose stearate HLB = 16.0 Mitsubishi (Chemical Foods Co., Ltd.) 3.0% by weight was mixed, heated to 70 ° C., and then mixed at 70 ° C. and 8000 rpm / min for 10 minutes using Excel Auto Homogenizer DX (Nihon Seiki Seisakusho). Went. To this mixed solution, 55.0% by weight of glycerin (manufactured by Sakamoto Yakuhin Kogyo Co., Ltd.) and 29.8% by weight of water were added, and the temperature was raised to 70 ° C., and then 8000 rpm at 70 ° C. using Excel Auto Homogenizer DX. / Min for 30 minutes. As a result, a carotenoid composition that clearly dissolves in water was obtained.

<Example 2 Production of an emulsion of lutein containing lecithin>
Marigold oil no. 84790 (Lutein: total xanthophyll content 15% Saneigen FFI Co., Ltd.) 6.7% by weight, RIKEN E Oil 600G (tocopherol content 60% Riken Vitamin Co., Ltd.) 0.5% by weight, Ryo Toepolyglycerin L-7D (decaglycerin laurate HLB = 17.0, manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Foods Co., Ltd.) 3.0% by weight, Ryoto Sugar ester S-1670 (sucrose stearate HLB = 16.0 Mitsubishi (Chemical Foods Co., Ltd.) 3.0% by weight was mixed, heated to 70 ° C., and then mixed at 70 ° C. and 8000 rpm / min for 10 minutes using Excel Auto Homogenizer DX (Nihon Seiki Seisakusho). Went. To this mixed solution, 2.0% by weight of SLP paste (lecithin: manufactured by Sakai Oil Co., Ltd.), 5.0% by weight of glycerin (manufactured by Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.), and 27.5% by weight of water were added. After the temperature was raised to 70 ° C., a mixing treatment was performed at 70 ° C. and 8000 rpm / min for 30 minutes using an Excel auto homogenizer DX. As a result, a carotenoid composition that clearly dissolves in water was obtained.

<Example 3 Production of an emulsion of lutein containing ceramide + lecithin>
Marigold oil no. 84790 (Lutein: total xanthophyll content 15% Saneigen FFI Co., Ltd.) 6.7% by weight, RIKEN E Oil 600G (tocopherol content 60% Riken Vitamin Co., Ltd.) 0.5% by weight, Ryo Toepolyglycerin L-7D (decaglycerin laurate HLB = 17.0, manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Foods Co., Ltd.) 3.0% by weight, Ryoto Sugar ester S-1670 (sucrose stearate HLB = 16.0 Mitsubishi (Chemical Foods Co., Ltd.) 3.0% by weight was mixed, heated to 70 ° C., and then mixed at 70 ° C. and 8000 rpm / min for 10 minutes using Excel Auto Homogenizer DX (Nihon Seiki Seisakusho). Went. SLP paste (lecithin: manufactured by Sakai Oil Co., Ltd.) 2.0% by weight, nipninceramide RPS (ceramide: manufactured by Nippon Flour Milling Co., Ltd.) 1.0% by weight, glycerin (Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.) 55.0 wt% and 26.8 wt% water were added, and the mixture was heated to 70 ° C. and then mixed at 0 ° C. and 8000 rpm / min for 30 minutes using an Excel auto homogenizer DX. As a result, a carotenoid composition that clearly dissolves in water was obtained.

<1: Analysis method of lutein>
Lutein includes ester lutein in which free lutein and esters are bound. In order to analyze these quantitatively, a measurement method using high performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC) was established. Develosil C30-UG-5 4.6 × 250 mm (manufactured by Nomura Chemical) was used for the column, and ethanol: hexane = 3: 1 solution, wavelength 480 nm, flow rate 1 ml / min was used for the mobile phase. Free lutein and ester lutein could be analyzed respectively. Under these conditions, lutein in blood and liver could be quantified.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a chromatogram of lutein by HPLC using the above analytical method.

<2: Bioabsorbability of emulsion of lutein compound by animal experiment>
Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were grouped into 5 males aged 5 weeks, mixed with various lutein compounds and their emulsions to a concentration of 0.02% lutein, and free to rats for 7 days. Ingested. Blood was collected from the abdominal aorta and the serum lutein content (FIG. 2) and the lutein content accumulated in the liver (FIG. 3) were measured. The studied lutein compounds and their emulsions are shown below.

1) Free Lutein Compound “Lutein Soft Extract” (Ajinomoto)
2) Ester Lutein Compound “Marigold Oil No. 84790” (San-Ei Gen FFI)
3) Emulsion of free lutein compound (Example 1)
4) Emulsion of ester lutein compound (Example 1)
Lutein content in blood and liver significantly improved absorbability by emulsifying both free and ester forms (Example 1).

  FIG. 2 is a bar graph showing the lutein content in serum, and the different alphabets in FIG. 2 represent significant differences (p <0.05).

  FIG. 3 is a bar graph showing the lutein content in the liver. Different alphabets in FIG. 3 represent significant differences (p <0.05).

<3: Improvement of bioabsorbability by incorporating lecithin of free lutein>
Sprague Dawley (SD) rats, 5 weeks old male, were grouped into 5 groups per group, and free lutein compound, its emulsion and lecithin blended emulsion were mixed in the feed to a lutein concentration of 0.02%, Rats were allowed to ad libitum for 7 days. Blood was collected from the abdominal aorta and the serum and liver lutein contents were measured. The content of lutein accumulated in the liver is shown in FIG. The studied lutein compounds and their emulsions are shown below.

1) Free Lutein Compound “Lutein Soft Extract” (Ajinomoto)
2) Emulsion of free lutein compound (no lecithin) (Example 1)
3) Emulsified free lutein compound (containing lecithin) (Example 2)

  As for the lutein content in the liver, the absorbability was significantly improved in the emulsion of free lutein compound containing lecithin (Example 2).

  FIG. 4 is a bar graph showing the lutein content in the liver. In FIG. 4, the symbol * represents a significant difference (p <0.05), and the symbol ** represents a significant difference (p <0.01).

<4: Improvement of bioabsorbability by mixing ceramide + lecithin of ester lutein>
Sprague Dawley (SD) rats are grouped in groups of 5 males per week, and the ester lutein compound, its lecithin-containing emulsion and ceramide + lecithin-containing emulsion are 0.02% in lutein concentration. It was mixed with the diet and allowed to freely ingest for 7 days. Blood was collected from the abdominal aorta, and the lutein content in the serum (FIG. 5) and the lutein content accumulated in the liver (FIG. 6) were examined. The studied lutein compounds and their emulsions are shown below.

1) Ester Lutein Compound “Marigold Oil No. 84790” (San-Ei Gen FFI)
2) Emulsion of ester lutein compound (containing lecithin) (Example 2)
3) Emulsion of ester lutein compound (ceramide + lecithin combination) (Example 3)
As for the lutein content in the liver, the absorbability improved in the emulsion of the ester lutein compound in which ceramide + lecithin was blended (Example 3).

  FIG. 5 is a bar graph showing the lutein content in serum. Different alphabets in FIG. 5 represent significant differences (p <0.05).

  FIG. 6 is a bar graph showing the lutein content in the liver. Different alphabets in FIG. 6 represent significant differences (p <0.05).

<Example 4: Beverage containing product of the present invention>
Examples of beverages containing the product of the present invention are shown below. Mix everything shown in the following recipe and make up to 50 ml with water. A beverage can be produced by sterilizing by heating at 90 ° C. and allowing to cool. By this production method, a beverage in which lutein is clearly dissolved can be prescribed.

Recipe (in 50ml)
1. High fructose liquid sugar 6g
2. Erythritol 3g
3. Citric acid 0.7g
4). Product of the present invention (Example 3) 0.3 g
5. Perfume appropriate amount 6. Sodium citrate appropriate amount 7. Rosemary extract 0.025g
8). Preservative (sodium benzoate) 0.015g
9. Sweetener (sucralose) 0.7mg

<Example 5: Food (candy) containing the product of the present invention>
Examples of food (candy) containing the product of the present invention are shown below. The reduced malt syrup is heated to 170 ° C, and when the temperature drops to 130 ° C, the product of the present invention (Example 3) is added and mixed. Mix 50% citric acid water and pour it into the mold quickly. Once solidified, the candy can be produced by removing it from the mold. By this production method, a food (candy) in which lutein is clearly dissolved can be formulated.

Formulation for making 10-15 candy Reduced malt syrup 50g
2. 50 ml of 50% citric acid water
3. Product of the present invention (Example 3) 0.5 g

It is a bar graph which shows the chromatogram of lutein by HPLC. It is a bar graph which shows the lutein content in serum. It is a bar graph which shows the lutein content in a liver. It is a bar graph which shows the lutein content in a liver. It is a bar graph which shows the lutein content in serum. It is a bar graph which shows the lutein content in a liver.

Claims (12)

  A functional food material comprising a carotenoid emulsified composition containing ceramide and lecithin. The carotenoid is a carotenoid compound or a carotenoid mixture,
The carotenoid compound is α-carotene, β-carotene, γ-carotene, δ-carotene, lycopene, lutein, astaxanthin, zeaxanthin, canthaxanthin, fucoxanthin, anthaxanthin, violaxanthin and their ester compounds,
The functional food material according to claim 1, wherein the carotenoid mixture is obtained by dissolving or suspending the carotenoid compound with a solvent and containing the carotenoid compound.   The functional food material according to claim 1, wherein the ceramide is derived from rice, wheat, corn, or rice bran.   The functional food material according to claim 1, wherein the lecithin is derived from soybean or egg yolk.   The supplement characterized by making the functional food material in any one of the said Claims 1-4 into the tablet, the capsule, or the powder.   A supplement raw material, wherein the functional food material according to any one of claims 1 to 4 is made into a tablet, capsule or powder.   A general food, cosmetic or pharmaceutical product, wherein the functional food material according to any one of claims 1 to 4 is added.   A method for producing a functional food material, comprising emulsifying a carotenoid with an emulsifier and a polyhydric alcohol, water, lecithin, ceramide, and an antioxidant. The carotenoid is a carotenoid compound or a carotenoid mixture,
The carotenoid compound is α-carotene, β-carotene, γ-carotene, δ-carotene, lycopene, lutein, astaxanthin, zeaxanthin, canthaxanthin, fucoxanthin, anthaxanthin, violaxanthin and their ester compounds,
The method for producing a functional food material according to claim 8, wherein the carotenoid mixture is obtained by dissolving or suspending the carotenoid compound with a solvent and containing the compound.   The method for producing a functional food material according to claim 9, wherein the carotenoid compound or the carotenoid mixture is emulsified at 20 to 180 ° C.   An inert gas such as nitrogen gas, carbon dioxide gas, helium gas, argon gas, or the like is added to the carotenoid compound or carotenoid mixture carotenoid, or an antioxidant is mixed in the composition. Item 11. A method for producing a functional food material according to Item 9 or 10.   The emulsifier, the antioxidant, the polyhydric alcohol, lecithin, ceramide, water, etc. are blended in the carotenoid solution obtained by heating and dissolving the carotenoid compound or carotenoid mixture, and emulsified at 0 to 100 ° C. The method for producing a functional food material according to any one of claims 9 to 11.

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