Carotenoids

What manufacturers buy here

This category covers carotenoids supplied as raw materials for food supplements: carotenes, xanthophylls and a few related pigments. Formulators usually group them in three ways.

• Provitamin A: beta-carotene is the carotenoid used as a source of vitamin A. The vitamin A guide compares it with the retinol forms.
• Carotenes without a vitamin A role: lycopene.
• Xanthophylls: lutein, zeaxanthin, astaxanthin and canthaxanthin. These oxygenated carotenoids are supplied as free forms or as esters, depending on the source.

SoleChem also supplies crocetin, an apocarotenoid, and safflower extract. Safflower extract sits close to the botanical extracts range.

Choosing within the category

• Source and production route. One carotenoid can be synthetic, fermentation-derived, algal or extracted from plants. The route sets the specification and, for several carotenoids, the regulatory status.
• Physical form. Oil suspensions and oleoresins suit softgels. Beadlets and water-dispersible powders suit tablets, hard capsules and powder blends.
• Stability. Carotenoids degrade on exposure to oxygen, light and heat. Commercial forms usually contain antioxidants or are encapsulated, so check those components against your process and label.
• Content basis. Carotenoids are sold as preparations with a stated carotenoid content, sometimes expressed as esters. Base label-claim arithmetic on the content and basis on the certificate of analysis sent with the quote.

Regulatory notes

Beta-carotene is listed as a source of vitamin A in Annex II of Directive 2002/46/EC. The other carotenoids are not vitamins or minerals, so national rules on other substances govern their use in food supplements, and these differ by member state.

Depending on source and production method, several carotenoid preparations are novel foods under Regulation (EU) 2015/2283. Authorised ones appear in the Union list with specifications and conditions of use. Check each material there and in the novel food guide.

Some carotenoids are also authorised food colours under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008. That authorisation covers colouring use only, not use as a nutrient or other substance.