Xanthophyll compositions and methods of use

1. A process for creating a final product with a non-esterified carotenoid concentration of greater than 10%, the process comprising:

a) alkaline saponification of a natural carotenoid-containing oleoresin, wherein the saponification occurs in the presence of a metal hydroxide, with intimate mixing, and occurs at a temperature between about 110° C. to about 180° C., resulting in a composition comprising non-esterified carotenoids and oleoresin components from the original natural carotenoid-containing oleoresin,

b) atomization of the resulting composition comprising non-esterified carotenoids and oleoresin components from the original natural carotenoid-containing oleoresin to produce an atomized composition, and

c) isomerization of the non-esterified carotenoids in the atomized composition to produce a final product comprising the non-esterified carotenoids and oleoresin components from the original natural carotenoid-containing oleoresin, wherein the atomized composition is heated such that greater than 80% of the non-esterified carotenoids present in the final product are in the all-trans isomer configuration, and the non-esterified carotenoid concentration of the final product is greater than 10%.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the natural carotenoid-containing is marigold oleoresin.

3. The process of claim 1 , wherein the natural carotenoid-containing oleoresin is processed to make a natural carotenoid-containing oil prior to step (a) and the resulting natural carotenoid containing oil is used in step (a).

4. The process of claim 1 , wherein the metal hydroxide is selected from the group consisting of KOH, NaOH and Ca(OH) 2 .

5. The process of claim 1 , wherein the natural carotenoid-containing oleoresin is heated prior to mixing with the metal hydroxide.

6. The process of claim 5 , wherein the natural carotenoid-containing oleoresin is heated to a temperature ranging from about 50° C. to about 70° C. prior to mixing with the metal hydroxide.

7. The process of claim 1 , wherein the process occurs in a continuous flow apparatus at a flow rate of about 100 to about 300 kg/hour.

8. The process of claim 7 , wherein the flow rate is about 150 to about 250 kg/hour.

9. The process of claim 1 , wherein step (b) occurs in the presence of between about 3 and 15% of a free flowing agent.

10. The process of claim 8 , wherein step (b) occurs in the presence of between about 5 and 10% of silicon dioxide.

11. The process of claim 1 , wherein moisture content after atomization is between about 10% and 13%.

12. The process of claim 1 , wherein the isomerization occurs under an inert atmosphere.

13. The process of claim 1 , wherein the isomerization occurs at a temperature between about 75° C. and about 95° C. over a period ranging from about 1 hour to about 3 hours.

14. The process of claim 1 , wherein the particles of the final product are each less than about 0.9 mm.

15. A carotenoid formulation, the formulation comprising the aqueous product resulting from the process of claim 1 .

16. The formulation of claim 15 , wherein the natural carotenoid-containing oleoresin is processed to make a natural carotenoid-containing oil prior to step (a) and the resulting natural carotenoid containing oil is used in step (a).

17. A process for creating an aqueous product from water and a final product with a non-esterified carotenoid concentration of greater than 10%, the process comprising:

a) alkaline saponification of a natural carotenoid-containing oleoresin, wherein the saponification occurs in the presence of a metal hydroxide, with intimate mixing, and occurs-at a temperature between about 110° C. to about 180° C., resulting in a composition comprising non-esterified carotenoids and oleoresin components from the original natural carotenoid-containing oleoresin,

b) isomerization of the non-esterified carotenoids in the composition to produce a final product comprising the non-esterified carotenoids and oleoresin components from the original natural carotenoid-containing oleoresin, wherein the composition is heated such that greater than 80% of the non-esterified carotenoids present in the final product are in the all-trans isomer configuration, and the final product has a non-esterified carotenoid concentration that is greater than 10%, and

c) contacting the final product with water in sufficient amounts to create an aqueous product having from 0.5% to about 10% of the final product.

18. The process of claim 17 , wherein the natural carotenoid-containing oleoresin is marigold oleoresin.

19. The process of claim 17 , wherein the natural carotenoid-containing oleoresin is processed to make a natural carotenoid-containing oil prior to step (a) and the resulting natural carotenoid containing oil is used in step (a).

20. The process of claim 17 , wherein the metal hydroxide is selected from the group consisting of KOH, NaOH and Ca(OH) 2 .

21. The process of claim 17 , wherein the natural carotenoid-containing oleoresin is heated prior to mixing with the metal hydroxide.

22. The process of claim 17 , wherein the natural carotenoid-containing oleoresin is heated to a temperature ranging from about 50° C. to about 70° C. prior to mixing with the metal hydroxide.

23. The process of claim 17 , wherein the process occurs in a continuous flow apparatus at a flow rate of about 50 to about 300 kg/hour.

24. The process of claim 23 , wherein the flow rate is about 150 to about 250 kg/hour.

25. The process of claim 17 , wherein the particles of the final product are each less than about 0.9 mm.

26. A carotenoid formulation, the formulation comprising the aqueous product resulting from the process of claim 17 .

27. The formulation of claim 26 , wherein the natural carotenoid-containing oleoresin is marigold oleoresin.

28. The formulation of claim 26 , wherein the natural carotenoid-containing oleoresin is processed to make a natural carotenoid-containing oil prior to step (a) and the resulting natural carotenoid containing oil is used in step (a).