Delivery Of Functional Ingredients

Abstract

The present invention relates to a primary composition comprising all essential nutrients of a fruit or a plant material, which has an increased stability, bio-availability and miscibility; and the process of forming the same. It also relates to an oral composition that contains the primary composition in a foodstuff, in a food supplement, in a cosmetic preparation or in a pharmaceutical preparation.

1 . A miscible primary composition comprising at least essential lipophilic and hydrophilic bioactive components of a material selected from the group consisting of whole fruit, vegetable and plant material, excluding insoluble fibers, in a carrier selected from the group consisting of milk and milk protein-containing.  
     
     
         2 . The primary composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the material is in a form selected from the group consisting of vegetables, leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds and other parts of the plant, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         3 . The primary composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the material is selected from the group consisting of a berry, vegetables, seeds, flowers, citrus fruits, tomato, spinach, celery, carrots, pea, kale, parsley, watercress, cabbage, broccoli, lettuce, brussels sprouts, collard greens, turnip greens, fennel, onions, tea, corn, cocoa, coffee, thyme and sweet red pepper.  
     
     
         4 . The primary composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the essential lipophilic and hydrophilic bioactive components are selected from the group consisting of lipids, alkaloids, proteins, carbohydrates, carotenoids, polyphenolic compounds, vitamins and minerals.  
     
     
         5 . The primary composition according to  claim 4 , comprising flavonoids selected from the group consisting of flavones, flavonols, flavanones, catechins, anthocyanidins, and isoflavones.  
     
     
         6 . The primary composition according to  claim 4 , wherein the carotenoids are selected from the group consisting of carotenes and xanthophylls.  
     
     
         7 . The primary composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the milk is from animal origin.  
     
     
         8 . The primary composition according to claim,  1 , which is in a form selected from the group consisting of a powder, gel and liquid.  
     
     
         9 . A process for the preparation of a composition comprising the steps of: 
 i) mixing and milling a material selected from the group consisting of a fruit, vegetable and plant material in milk or milk protein-containing liquid medium, and    ii) separating insoluble fibers to obtain an aqueous suspension comprising at least the essential lipophilic and hydrophilic bioactive components of the material selected from the group consisting of whole fruit, vegetable and plant material, excluding insoluble fibers, in a milk or milk protein-containing carrier.    
     
     
         10 . A process for increasing miscibility or dispersibility in an aqueous system, stability, and bio-availability of bioactive compounds of a material selected from the group consisting of a fruit, vegetable and plant material comprising the step of using a composition comprising at least the essential lipophilic and hydrophilic bioactive components of the material in a milk or milk protein-containing carrier.  
     
     
         11 . A process according to  claim 9 , wherein the natural bioactive components are selected from the group consisting of amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, carotenoids, and polyphenols.  
     
     
         12 . An oral composition comprising a primary composition comprising at least essential lipophilic and hydrophilic bioactive components of a material selected from the group consisting of whole fruit, vegetable and plant material, excluding insoluble fibers, in a milk or milk protein-containing carrier in a form selected from the group consisting of a foodstuff for oral administration, a food supplement, a pet food product, a cosmetic preparation and in a pharmaceutical preparation.  
     
     
         13 . An oral composition according to  claim 12 , which is a form selected from the group consisting of a nutritional complete formula, a dairy product, a chilled or shelf stable beverage, a mineral or purified, a liquid drink, a soup, a dietary supplement, a meal replacement, a nutritional bar, a confectionery, a milk or a fermented milk product, a yoghurt, a milk based powder, an enteral nutrition product, an infant formula, an infant nutritional product, a cereal product or a fermented cereal based product, an ice-cream, a chocolate, coffee, a culinary product such as mayonnaise, tomato puree, salad dressings and a pet food.  
     
     
         14 . An oral cosmetic or pharmaceutical composition comprising a primary composition comprising at least essential lipophilic and hydrophilic bioactive components of a material selected from the group consisting of whole fruit, vegetable and plant material, excluding insoluble fibers, in a milk or milk protein-containing carrier, which is in a tablet form selected from the group consisting of a capsule, a pill, a solution, a suspension, a syrup, a dried oral supplement, and a wet oral supplement.  
     
     
         15 . A method for delivering the multi-nutrients of functional ingredients of fruits and plant material with improved bio-availability, miscibility and stability comprising the steps of administering to an individual a composition comprising at least essential lipophilic and hydrophilic bioactive components of a material selected from the group consisting of whole fruit, vegetable and plant material, excluding insoluble fibers, in a milk or milk protein-containing carrier.  
     
     
         16 . A method for improving skin health, in particular for photo protection of the skin or for protecting skin tissue against ageing comprising the step of administering to an individual in need of same a composition comprising at least the essential lipophilic and hydrophilic bioactive components of a material selected from the group consisting of whole fruit, vegetable and plant material, excluding insoluble fibers, in a milk or milk protein-containing carrier.  
     
     
         17 . A method for eye health comprising the step of administering to an individual in need of same a composition comprising at least essential lipophilic and hydrophilic bioactive components of a material selected from the group consisting of whole fruit, vegetable and plant material, excluding insoluble fibers, in a milk or milk protein-containing carrier.  
     
     
         18 . A method for stimulating the immune system comprising the step of administering to an individual in need of same a composition comprising at least essential liophilic and hydrophilic bioactive components of a material selected from the group consisting of whole fruit, vegetable and plant material, excluding insoluble fibers, in a milk or milk protein-containing carrier.  
     
     
         19 . A method for preventing or treating cardiovascular diseases or disorders or cancers or diabetes comprising the steps of administering to a patient in need of same a composition comprising at least essential lipophilic and hydrophilic bioactive components of a material selected from the group consisting of whole fruit, vegetable and plant material, excluding insoluble fibers, in a milk or milk protein-containing carrier.  
     
     
         20 . The primary composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the material is selected from the group consisting of wolfberry, blueberry, cranberry, white currant, red currant, blackcurrant, mulberry, blackberry, gooseberry, raspberry, sea buckthorn, strawberry, arbutus berry, grapes, flavonoid, polyphenol carotenoid-rich fruit, vegetables, seeds, flowers, apples, melons, kiwi, cherries, red date, prunes, peaches, persimmons, mandarin, orange, tangerine, grapefruit, chamomile, chrysanthemum, bitter orange, honeysuckle, jasmine and safflower, tomato, spinach, celery, carrots, pea, kale, parsley, watercress, cabbage, broccoli, lettuce, brussels sprouts, collard greens, turnip greens, fennel, onions, tea, corn, cocoa, coffee, thyme and sweet red pepper.  
     
     
         21 . The primary composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the essential lipophilic and hydrophilic bioactive components are selected from the group consisting of apigenin, luteolin, diosmetin, quercetin, myricetin, kaempferol, naringenin, hesperidin, epicatechin, gallocatechin, pelargonidin, malvidin, cyaniding, genistein, and daidzein.