This food-grade lutein powder is derived primarily from natural marigold petals and processed using an integrated, eco-friendly workflow that includes supercritical CO₂ low-temperature extraction, multi-stage separation and purification, saponification, and spray drying. The process avoids high temperatures that could degrade active ingredients and excludes artificial colors, synthetic carriers, and harmful organic solvents, making it a mainstream functional pigment ingredient in the global dietary eye-health market.
Lutein is a key nutrient for the macular region of the human retina; as the body cannot synthesize it independently, it must be obtained through external supplementation. The product features a uniform golden-yellow hue and a fine, free-flowing powder texture with excellent dispersibility. Offering both coloring and nutritional benefits, it serves as a natural yellow colorant-replacing artificial dyes-and as an ingredient for eye-health dietary supplements. It meets strict market entry standards for food and health products in Europe, the Americas, and Southeast Asia, and comes with a complete set of English-language export documentation. We provide stable, long-term supplies to overseas health supplement manufacturers, functional food companies, and beverage and bakery producers, supporting everything from small-batch sampling to large-scale, recurring full-container export orders.
Core Product Advantages
Sourced from standardized, large-scale marigold plantations, premium petals are harvested during peak bloom-with moldy or impure plant matter discarded-and processed via low-temperature physical extraction to obtain lutein esters. These are subsequently converted into free lutein through saponification, ensuring no chemical solvent residues or heavy metal contamination risks. Unlike synthetic yellow pigments, this product is naturally derived and suitable for high-end maternal and infant foods as well as eye-health supplements. It exceeds international export standards for microbial and pesticide residue limits, ensuring high pass rates in cross-border customs inspections and smooth clearance.
Available in a full range of effective lutein concentrations, the free-lutein form offers superior human absorption efficiency, delivering nutrients directly to the macular region of the eye. It alleviates eye dryness and soreness caused by prolonged screen exposure and protects the retina against oxidative damage from blue light and UV rays. With minimal batch-to-batch variation in active ingredient content and high resistance to oxidative degradation, it ensures consistent efficacy in finished products. It is a core, essential ingredient for overseas eye-health capsules, powders, and children's gummies.
Its natural golden-yellow hue is soft and authentic, avoiding issues like graying, darkening, or uneven, patchy coloring. Stable across acid-base conditions and resistant to brief high-temperature exposure, the color remains vibrant-without fading-within a broad pH range (3–9) and after processing steps such as baking, high-temperature sterilization, or boiling. It serves as a natural alternative to artificial pigments like Tartrazine (Yellow 5), aligning with the "clean label" trend in overseas markets and elevating the product's premium positioning.
Processed via precision spray-drying, the powder is fine, free-flowing, and clump-free. It disperses rapidly in both cold and hot media without sedimentation, stratification, or residue clinging to vessel walls. It is compatible with various automated production lines-including powder premixing, liquid blending, softgel filling, tableting/granulation, and baking applications-without clogging equipment piping. Low processing loss makes it ideal for large-scale industrial manufacturing.
The incorporation of compliant, natural antioxidant carriers during production significantly delays lutein oxidation and discoloration, ensuring stability during standard ambient-temperature storage. Packaged in sealed, export-standard containers that are moisture- and light-proof, the product is classified as general cargo; it requires no specialized cold-chain or light-protected transport and maintains its potency during long-haul ocean shipping, thereby lowering overall storage and logistics expenses for overseas customers.
Wide Range of Applications
1. Dietary Supplements: Eye-care softgels, lutein-based pressed candies, eye-care powders for adults and children, multivitamin meal-replacement powders, and nourishing granules for the elderly; products replenish nutrients for the ocular fundus and feature blue-light protection as a key selling point.
2. Functional Beverages: Fruit and vegetable juices, instant powder mixes, herbal teas, and sports nutrition drinks; offers dual functionality-natural coloring combined with eye-health nutrients-to establish a healthy beverage image.
3. Snack and Bakery Products: Cakes, cookies, gummies, jellies, yogurt, and puddings; serves as a substitute for synthetic yellow dyes, using natural coloring to enhance visual appeal.
4. Maternal and Infant Foods: Infant rice cereal, milk tablets for children, and seasoning powders for complementary foods; provides natural, gentle coloring that aligns with the premium, safety-focused positioning of maternal and infant products.
5. Personal Care and Cosmetics: Ingredients for natural plant-based color cosmetics and gentle tinting for skincare lotions; free from irritating synthetic dyes.
6. Feed Additives: Eye-care pet food and compound feed for livestock and poultry; improves coat luster and supports eye health in animals.
Basic Physicochemical Parameters
| Appearance | Uniform, fine golden-yellow powder; free of hard clumps, black impurities, or mold spots. |
| Active Ingredients | Free lutein available in specifications ranging from 5% to 20%; lutein ester specifications customizable. |
| Color | Bright, natural golden-yellow with stable, uniform coloring power. |
| Moisture Content | ≤4.0%; low hygroscopicity, resistant to moisture absorption and oxidation during long-term storage. |
| Dispersibility | Rapidly dispersible in both cold and hot water; yields a clear solution without sedimentation in liquid systems. |
| Stability | Stable across pH 3–9; retains color and activity during short-term processing at 100°C. |
| Heavy Metals | Lead, arsenic, mercury, and cadmium levels comply with EU limits for food and dietary supplements. |
| Microbiology | Free of pathogenic bacteria; *E. coli* and *Salmonella* not detected; total plate count meets international export standards. |
| Excipients/Carriers | Food-grade maltodextrin or starch carriers; free from prohibited additives. |
Packaging, Storage, and Shelf Life
1. Standard export packaging: 25kg paper-plastic composite bags with a double-layer, light-proof, and waterproof PE inner liner; 500g and 1kg vacuum-sealed, light-proof sample bags are also available.
2. Storage conditions: Store in a sealed container within a cool, dry, and dark warehouse; keep away from high temperatures, direct sunlight, and moisture; avoid storage alongside materials with strong odors.
3. Shelf life: 24 months when stored unopened under standard, light-proof conditions.
4. Transport classification: General functional food ingredient (non-hazardous); not classified as a hazardous chemical; cold-chain transport is not required.
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