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Despite the notable health benefits of carotenoids for human health, the majority of human diets worldwide are repeatedly shown to be inadequate in intake of carotenoid-rich fruits and vegetables, according to current health recommendations. To address this deficit, strategies designed to increase dietary intakes and subsequent plasma levels of carotenoids are warranted. When mixed carotenoids are delivered into the intestinal tract simultaneously, competition occurs for micelle formation and absorption, affecting carotenoid bioavailability. Previously, we tested the in vitro viability of a carotenoid mix designed to deliver individual carotenoids sequentially spaced from one another over the 6 hr transit time of the human upper gastrointestinal system. We hypothesized that temporally and spatially separating the individual carotenoids would reduce competition for micelle formation, improve uptake, and maximize efficacy. Here, we test this hypothesis in a double-blind, repeated-measure, cross-over human study with 12 subjects by comparing the change of plasma carotenoid levels for 8 hr after oral doses of a sequentially spaced carotenoid mix, to a matched mix without sequential spacing. We find the carotenoid change from baseline, measured as area under the curve, is increased following consumption of the sequentially spaced mix compared to concomitant carotenoids delivery. These results demonstrate reduced interaction and regulation between the sequentially spaced carotenoids, suggesting improved bioavailability from a novel sequentially spaced carotenoid mix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many algal extracts/preparations have been used in nutritional supplements and cosmetics for many decades, notably Dunaliella, Spirulina, Chlorella, Haematococcus, and numerous kelp species. However, the road to acceptance and use of preparations from new species is long, and there are many barriers to overcome. This article outlines what is needed to achieve acceptance from the perspective of a large marketer and manufacturer of a wide variety of consumer products. Real-life applications are used to show the required and desired information that must flow between the raw material supplier and the manufacturer to effectively bring a new material to the marketplace. The viewpoints of many different levels of the organization are considered including: product formulators with their focus on efficacy (of special interest are results from human clinical trials), mechanisms of action and performance of the ingredient in their formulations; quality assurance that looks for consistency and reliability of the ingredient; regulatory personnel that require assurance and documentation that an ingredient is acceptable in markets around the world; and procurement that requires adequacy of supply to fulfill market demand along with competitive pricing and reliable customer service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]