Abstract
For the coloring of water-base foods especially of juices and beverages with β-carotene, the oily emulsion of β-carotene is most preferable.
For this purpose, solubilities of β-carotene in various solvents were measured, obtaining the following results.
1. β-Carotene once dissolved in orange oil by heating remained about 3% in solution after standing at room temperature for as long as one month.
2. When the solution of β-carotene in orange oil was heated, isomerization and degradation occurred. In general, the higher the heating temperature and the longer the heating period, the more the cis compound was formed. When 1% suspension of all-trans β-carotene in orange oil was heated at 100° for 30 minutes, 60-65% remained as all-trans form, although 35-38% was isomerized to Neo-B.
