Patent ID: 8425948

Claim:
A process for isolation of carotenoids crystals having lutein and zeaxanthin in a weight ratio of about 10:1, 5:1 and 1:1 respectively, said process comprising: (a) contacting a plant source rich in lutein with an alcohol and extracting at a temperature of 50° C. to 75° C. to obtain an extract rich in lutein; (b) enriching the extract rich in lutein with an alcohol at a temperature in the range of 25° C. to 50° C. for 10 to 20 minutes to obtain an oleoresin rich in lutein; (c) contacting a plant source rich in zeaxanthin with an alcohol and extracting at a temperature of 50° C. to 75° C. to obtain an extract rich in zeaxanthin; (d) enriching the extract rich in zeaxanthin with an alcohol at a temperature in the range of 25° C. to 50° C. for 10 to 20 minutes to obtain an oleoresin rich in zeaxanthin; (e) mixing the oleoresin rich in lutein and the oleoresin rich in zeaxanthin in a ratio ranging from about 80:20 (w/w) to 90:10 (w/w), about 70:30 (w/w) to 30:70 (w/w) and about 10:90 (w/w) to 20:80 (w/w) respectively and homogenizing the mixture to obtain a mixed oleoresin; (f) hydrolyzing the mixed oleoresin with an alcoholic alkali at a temperature in the range of 70° C. to 80° C. to obtain a reaction mixture; and (g) adding hot water at a temperature in the range of 70° C. to 75° C. to the reaction mixture to form a precipitate of carotenoids, thereby obtaining carotenoids crystals having lutein and zeaxanthin in a weight ratio of about 10:1, 5:1 and 1:1 respectively; wherein the plant source rich in lutein and the plant source rich in zeaxanthin are independently selected from the group consisting of Marigold, Paprika and Chinese wolfberries ( Lycium barbarum ), the alcohol is selected from the group consisting of ethanol, isopropyl alcohol and mixtures thereof, and the alcoholic alkali is selected from the group consisting of ethanolic sodium hydroxide and ethanolic potassium hydroxide.