What Are The Benefits Of Astaxanthin?
Extraction source
Natural astaxanthin comes from algae, bacteria, and phytoplankton. Some aquatic species, including crustaceans such as shrimps and crabs, have a red appearance due to long-term consumption of these algae, bacteria, and phytoplankton. They are also preyed on by fish such as salmon and guppies, birds such as flamingos, chickens, and ducks, and poultry. The pigment is stored in the skin and fat tissue, making their skin and feathers also appear red. Therefore, natural astaxanthin can also be obtained from crustaceans, fish, birds, and poultry.
Extraction method
Currently, there are two main methods for the production of astaxanthin: chemical synthesis and natural extraction. Chemically synthesized astaxanthin is not only expensive, but also has significant differences in molecular structure, biological function, application effect and biosafety performance compared with natural astaxanthin, which has led to the extraction of natural astaxanthin gradually becoming dominant.
Applicaiton
Food and health food：
Astaxanthin has been used as a food additive abroad for food coloring, preservation and nutrition. Astaxanthin is fat-soluble, has a bright red color and strong antioxidant properties. It has both coloring and preservation effects on foods, especially foods with a lot of lipids. In Japan, a patent has been applied for the use of red oil containing astaxanthin in pickling vegetables, seaweed and fruits, and there are also patent reports for the use of astaxanthin in coloring beverages, noodles and seasonings. Research on the use of astaxanthin to synthesize human health products has long been carried out abroad. Health products containing astaxanthin have been developed for its effectiveness in strengthening the immune system, anti-cancer, protecting the retina from ultraviolet radiation and photooxidation, anti-inflammatory, and preventing oxidative damage to low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol in the blood. In 2013, Yunnan Green A Biological Haematococcus pluvialis was issued a health food approval document with two health functions of "anti-oxidation" and "relieving visual fatigue" by the State Food and Drug Administration.
Feed industry：
The largest market for astaxanthin is in the feed industry. It can be used as a feed additive mainly for fish (salmon, sturgeon, rainbow trout, sea bream, etc.) and crustaceans such as shrimps and crabs, as well as poultry. As a colorant for aquatic animals, astaxanthin can make aquatic animals appear bright in color, making them more ornamental; adding astaxanthin to poultry feed can increase the yolk pigment content of eggs; it can also increase the egg production rate of hens and promote the health of laying hens. Astaxanthin has the same function as humans in preventing and treating diseases of fish, shrimps, crabs and poultry. It can improve immunity and survival rate, and plays an important role in their normal growth and healthy breeding, and in improving survival rate and reproduction rate. Astaxanthin can also increase the flavor of fish. It can be directly used as a precursor compound for the formation of salmon food flavor, and it can also promote the conversion of fatty acids or other lipid precursors into salmon flavor compounds.
Cosmetics：
As a new cosmetic raw material, astaxanthin is widely used in creams, emulsions, lip balms, skin care products and other cosmetics with its excellent properties. Especially in the field of high-end cosmetics, natural astaxanthin, with its unique molecular structure and antioxidant effect, can efficiently quench free radicals caused by ultraviolet rays, prevent skin photoaging, reduce UVA and UVB damage to the skin, prevent skin cancer, delay cell aging, reduce skin wrinkles, reduce melanin deposition, reduce freckles, and maintain moisture, making the skin more elastic, tense and moisturized. Japan already has a patent for the production of cosmetics using the anti-photosensitivity effect of astaxanthin.
