https://www.takumitech.com/collections/allAstaxanthin, also known as astaxanthin and astaxanthin, is a carotenoid oxygen-containing derivative contained in shrimp and crab shells, oysters, salmon and certain algae. High nutritional value.
A large number of studies at home and abroad have shown that astaxanthin can effectively remove free radicals generated by exercise in muscle cells, strengthen aerobic metabolism, and has significant anti-fatigue and anti-aging effects; can significantly improve human immunity; The carotenoids of the brain barrier have the advantages of antioxidant protection for the eyes, and can be used as food colorants, antioxidants, etc.
The aging of the body is mainly caused by a large number of free radicals produced by the mitochondrial chain oxidation reaction. If it is not removed in time, it will cause mitochondrial oxidative damage and accelerate the aging of body cells. Astaxanthin has strong antioxidant activity and can efficiently scavenge oxygen free radicals. Therefore, adding astaxanthin to functional foods can help prevent a series of health problems caused by organ aging. At present, astaxanthin anti-aging functional food research and development has been carried out abroad.
Astaxanthin can significantly promote the ability of spleen cells to produce antibodies in the presence of antigens, and enhance T cells to stimulate the production of immune globulin in human blood cells. Therefore, the application of astaxanthin in immune-enhancing health foods is an important direction for the development of astaxanthin. It is reported that Japan has launched a variety of astaxanthin products. For example, a company has used the method of combining astaxanthin with other functional extracts to produce a variety of new products with higher functional effects.
The main diseases that cause visual impairment and even blindness are age-related macular degeneration and senile cataracts, both of which are related to the photooxidative process inside the eye. Studies have shown that astaxanthin can pass through the blood-brain barrier and effectively prevent retinal oxidation and photoreceptor cell damage, indicating that astaxanthin has a good effect in improving retinal function.
Therefore, the application of astaxanthin in functional foods to protect eyesight and maintain eye health is a hot research topic at home and abroad. For example, Japan combines astaxanthin with blueberry extract to strengthen the protection of vision; the United States has developed products such as natural astaxanthin capsules, which help to protect vision and improve aging retinal macular degeneration.
In addition, astaxanthin also has the functions of preservation, color preservation, taste preservation, and quality preservation. Astaxanthin is a fat-soluble pigment with bright red color, natural lifelikeness, strong pigment deposition ability, strong tinting strength, safety, low dosage, no peculiar smell and good taste. It can be used for the coloring of many health food and tablets. The coloring of sugar coating and capsules can also be directly used in food, such as edible oils and fats, margarine, ice cream, candy, cakes, dried noodles, seasonings, etc. It is more suitable for fruit juice containing vitamin C.
In Japan, the use of astaxanthin as a functional food additive has become more common. The red oil containing astaxanthin is widely used in the pickling of vegetables, seaweed and fruits, and it is also used in beverages, noodles, and seasoning coloring.
At present, the main sources of astaxanthin include chemical synthesis and natural extraction.
Compared with natural astaxanthin, chemically synthesized astaxanthin has certain differences in structure, properties, application and safety. . The high-efficiency extraction and preparation of natural astaxanthin is the focus of the future development of astaxanthin, especially the use of yeast, algae and other microorganisms to industrially ferment astaxanthin, which has a short production cycle and broad prospects. Therefore, screening high-yielding strains, improving the fermentation process, and introducing genetic improvement technology in a timely manner to increase yield and reduce costs will contribute to the further development and application of astaxanthin.
It is understood that the current foreign applications in the field of astaxanthin functional foods are mainly positioned in strengthening immunity, protecting the retina, preventing oxidative damage of blood low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, etc., and have developed and produced many related health foods, dietary supplements, etc. In this regard, my country is still in its infancy. It is expected that with the continuous deepening of the research on the functional properties of astaxanthin, the improvement of production technology, and the traditional concept of "medicine and food homology" in China, astaxanthin is used to develop functional foods, which will be Has excellent application prospects.