Process for producing reduced coenzyme Q
A process for producing reduced coenzyme Q 10 includes removing moisture from an aqueous suspension including a reduced coenzyme Q 10 -containing microbial cell or a disrupted cell thereof such that a de-moisturized substance is obtained and in contact with an oxidizing atmosphere, and that an oxidized coenzyme Q 10 is produced in an amount of 50 mass % or more relative to a total amount of the oxidized and reduced coenzymes Q 10 , and reducing the oxidized coenzyme Q 10 outside a microbial cell such that a reduced coenzyme Q 10 is recovered.
1. A process for producing reduced coenzyme Q 10 , comprising:
removing moisture from an aqueous suspension comprising a reduced coenzyme Q 10 -containing microbial cell or a disrupted cell thereof such that a de-moisturized substance is obtained and in contact with an oxidizing atmosphere, and that an oxidized coenzyme Q 10 is produced in an amount of 50 mass % or more relative to the total amount of the oxidized and reduced coenzymes Q 10 ; and
reducing the oxidized coenzyme Q 10 outside a microbial cell such that a reduced coenzyme Q 10 is recovered.
2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the aqueous suspension, before the removing of the moisture, includes the reduced coenzyme Q 10 in an amount of not less than 50 mass % relative to the total amount of the oxidized and the reduced coenzymes Q 10 .
3. The process of claim 1 , wherein the de-moisturized substance has a moisture content of not greater than 30 mass % after the removing of the moisture.
4. The process of claim 1 , wherein the aqueous suspension has a pH of greater than 4 before the removing of the moisture.
5. The process of claim 1 , wherein the removing of the moisture comprises drying the aqueous suspension under an oxidizing atmosphere, or
drying the aqueous suspension under an oxidizing atmosphere and preservation for 1 to 30 days under an oxidizing atmosphere.
6. The process of claim 5 , wherein the removing of the moisture is conducted at a temperature of not lower than 50° C.
7. The process of claim 1 , wherein the removing of the moisture is conducted such that the oxidized coenzyme Q 10 is produced in an amount of 80 mass % or more relative to the total amount of the oxidized and the reduced coenzymes Q 10 .
8. The process of claim 1 , further comprising:
extracting the oxidized coenzyme Q 10 produced, before the reducing of the oxidized coenzyme Q 10 ,
wherein the removing of the moisture comprises drying the aqueous suspension under an oxidizing atmosphere.
9. A process for producing oxidized coenzyme Q 10 , comprising:
removing moisture from an aqueous suspension comprising reduced coenzyme Q 10 -containing a microbial cell or a disrupted cell thereof such that a de-moisturized substance is obtained; and
preserving the de-moisturized substance for 1 to 30 days in an oxidizing atmosphere such that an oxidized coenzyme Q 10 is produced.
10. The process of claim 9 , further comprising:
extracting the oxidized coenzyme Q 10 produced;
separating an extract including the oxidized coenzyme Q 10 from the microbial cell or the disrupted cell thereof; and
purifying a separated extract including the oxidized coenzyme Q 10 by at least one of column chromatography and crystallization.
11. The process of claim 10 , further comprising:
oxidizing with an oxidizing agent a residual reduced coenzyme Q 10 included in the separated extract.
12. The process of claim 9 , wherein the de-moisturized substance has a moisture content of not greater than 30 mass % after the removing of the moisture.
13. The process of claim 9 , wherein the aqueous suspension has a pH of greater than 4 before the removing of the moisture.
14. The process of claim 9 , wherein the removing of the moisture comprises drying the aqueous suspension under an oxidizing atmosphere.
15. The process of claim 1 , further comprising, before the reducing of the oxidized coenzyme Q 10 :
extracting the oxidized coenzyme Q 10 produced;
separating an extract including the oxidized coenzyme Q 10 from the microbial cell or the disrupted cell thereof; and
purifying a separated extract including the oxidized coenzyme Q 10 by at least one of column chromatography and crystallization,
wherein the removing of the moisture comprises drying the aqueous suspension under an oxidizing atmosphere.
16. The process of claim 9 , wherein the preserving is for 5 to 20 days.
17. The process of claim 9 , wherein the preserving is for 10 to 18 days.
18. The process of claim 1 , wherein the removing of the moisture comprises drying the aqueous suspension under an oxidizing atmosphere and preservation for 1 to 30 days under an oxidizing atmosphere.
19. The process of claim 1 , wherein the reducing of the oxidized coenzyme Q 10 is conducted such that not less than 98 mass % of reduced coenzyme Q 10 is obtained with respect to the total amount of the oxidized and reduced coenzymes Q 10 .
20. The process of claim 19 , wherein the reducing of the oxidized coenzyme Q 10 is conducted such that not less than 99 mass % of reduced coenzyme Q 10 is obtained with respect to the total amount of the oxidized and reduced coenzymes Q 10 .
21. The process of claim 9 , wherein the preserving of the de-moisturized substance is conducted such that the oxidized coenzyme Q 10 is produced in an amount of 50 mass % or more relative to the total amount of the oxidized and reduced coenzymes Q 10 .
22. A process for producing reduced coenzyme Q 10 , comprising:
producing oxidized coenzyme Q 10 by the process of claim 9 ;
extracting the oxidized coenzyme Q 10 produced; and
reducing the oxidized coenzyme Q 10 outside a microbial cell such that a reduced coenzyme Q 10 is recovered.