Distribution, purification, and delivery of astaxanthin in food system-siftdesk

Abstract

A red-colored carotenoid pigment called astaxanthin possess high antioxidant capability, which is valued in biochemical research. Beside the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, it has a potential application in food, especially in foods that are beneficial to human health. Natural astaxanthin is abundantly distributed in food, especially in aquatic products, which is the secret of high-quality aquatic products. While the general extraction of natural astaxanthin has low purity and high cost, it is crucial to search a more economical, efficient and environmental-friendly purification method further. Meanwhile, due to the instability and low biological utilization of astaxanthin, the encapsulation of astaxanthin through delivery system plays a vital role in overcoming the challenges mentioned above and breaking the limitation of astaxanthin in food production and application.