First, the source of beta-carotene:
Beta-carotene was first isolated from carrots in 1831. Scientists have not stopped studying carotene, and its good coloring properties and nutritional strengthening functions are constantly recognized.
Second, the structural formula of beta-carotene:
beta-Carotene (beta-Cotene, hereinafter referred to as beta-C) is a precursor of vitamin A (Vitamin A) with a molecular formula of C40H56 and a molecular weight of 536.88. Its structural formula is:
Third, the company and its use of the earliest commercial production:
By the 1950s, BASF of Germany first completed the commercial production of beta-carotene by chemical synthesis. In the following 30 years, chemically synthesized carotenoid products dominated the market.
China's beta-carotene research started late. In 1988, it was successfully produced by Shanghai No. 6 Pharmaceutical Factory and won the second prize of National Science and Technology Progress Award.
The international natural beta-carotene price is about double the pure synthetic price, and the world's natural beta carotene accounts for about 5%-6% of beta-carotene. The United States is the world's largest consumer of beta-carotene
Fourth, the toxicity of synthetic pigments:
With the continuous development of toxicology and analytical techniques, the toxicity of food coloring has emerged. Scientists have found that many synthetic pigments have certain toxicity, and their harm is becoming more and more obvious, and the problem is getting bigger and bigger. The main manifestations are pathological phenomena such as carcinogenesis, teratogenicity and low intelligence. Many countries have successively developed a series of regulations restricting the use of synthetic pigments. (For example, Norway and the United States ban the use of any synthetic pigments. In 1991, China made regulations for the production of synthetic pigments and the use of synthetic pigments for infant dairy products.)
As the demands of the consumer public to return to nature increase, the demand for natural beta-carotene products is increasing.
Fifth, the concept of natural beta-carotene:
Natural beta-carotene (Natural beta-carotene) refers to a kind of carotenoid synthesized and extracted by natural organisms (animal plants, microorganisms).
Six, natural beta-carotene source:
1. Extract from natural plants
Which natural plants contain beta-carrots?
a. carrots, tomatoes, peppers, pumpkins, etc., but the content is low;
b. Extraction of Dunaliella salina and spirulina can achieve industrial production, but the resources are small, high salt lakes are needed, and sunshine time is long to grow salt algae)
The domestic Inner Mongolia Jilantai Salt Factory collaborates to form Tianjin Lantai Bioengineering Joint Company, which is one of the largest producers of natural beta-carotene in China.
2. Microbial synthesis in the body, and then extract from it
Microorganisms capable of synthesizing beta-carotene: preferred Brassica trispora (fungus), red yeast (fungus)
The price difference between synthetic and natural products: the international price of natural beta-carotene is about double the price of synthetic products.
Seven, the safety of natural beta-carotene:
Natural beta-C is a nutritionally enhanced food additive approved by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) Joint Committee on Food Additives. Natural beta-C has been included as a coloring agent in the People's Republic of China Health Standard (GB 2760).
Natural beta-carotene accounts for about 5%-6% of the beta-carotene market. The United States is the world's largest consumer of beta-carotene. 80% of the products used in China are chemical synthetic products (BASF, DSM)