Lutein‐fortified potato soup and freeze‐dried lutein powder designed with supercritical carbon dioxide extract of yellow corn kernels are promising nutraceutical foods

Abstract

Yellow corn (Zea mays) kernels (fresh and preserved [120‐day stored]) were subjected to extraction of lutein employing supercritical carbon dioxide at 500 bar, 70°C for 90 min. The extract of preserved kernels possessed appreciably higher (21.42%) lutein content vis‐à‐vis that obtained from fresh samples. Either extract had desirable ratio of 3–3.47:1 of ω‐6/ω‐3 fatty acids. These extracts were then employed in designing new nutraceutical foods viz. a lutein‐rich food supplement (LFS) and a lutein‐fortified ready‐to‐eat potato soup with minimum loss of lutein during processing. Lutein contents of the LFS and the soup were 3.14 ± 0.16 mg/100 g (dry weight basis [d.b.]) and 1.09 ± 0.06 mg/100 g (d.b.), respectively, corresponding to 5.16% and 10.94% losses of lutein, respectively. These new designer lutein‐rich nutraceutical food products could be promising contributors of dietary lutein. Practical applications New nutraceuticals such as lutein‐fortified ready‐to‐eat potato soup and a freeze‐dried lutein‐rich food supplement have been developed using lutein‐rich SC‐CO2 extracts of yellow corn grits. It is opined that these value‐added designer products containing adequate amounts of lutein would act as safe alternatives of existing therapeutic drugs such as lutein capsule and are expected to enhance the daily dietary intake of lutein.