Vitamins for the eyes —– Lutein Lutein is widely found in green vegetables and in the blood plasma, organs and eyes of the human body. Similar to carotenoids, it is widely found in green plants and in the human body and is an internationally recognized natural active substance with disease-preventing and disease-fighting physiological functions. Its main functions are: Luteolin and zeaxanthin can quench singlet oxygen and inhibit destructive free radical generation; they are chain-breaking antioxidants for lipid peroxidation reactions and bind with lipids to effectively inhibit lipid oxidation. In cells and cell membranes, they play a protective and preventive role against the oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids; they have a significant protective effect against vision loss and blindness caused by age-related macular degeneration of the retina. Studies have shown that the macula, a small yellow spot located behind the lens of the eye and in the center of the retina, contains the highest density of visual cells. The American Social Survey illustrates that age-related macular degeneration (AMDage-relatedmaculardegeneration) is an important cause of vision loss and blindness in the elderly. Timely supplementation of lutein in food can delay the onset of degenerative diseases of the eye. An epidemiological study of 421 patients with AMD and 615 patients without the disease found that carotenoids in the retinal spots of the elderly have the function of resisting AMD and protecting vision. Studies on the effect of lutein on serum and retinal spot pigment concentrations suggest that lutein should be supplemented at doses of 2,4mg-30mg per day. At this dose, an increase in pigmentation in the retinal spots was observed. AMD Age-related degenerative eye diseases are particularly prevalent in Europe and the United States, and generally tend to occur in people over 40 years of age. Its pathogenesis, according to group survey analysis, is related to the intake of antioxidants in food, sunlight stimulation, smoking, and gender, in addition to age and genetic factors. While lutein and zeaxanthin are the important constituents of eye spot pigment, which exist in the middle of the pigmentation, it functions as if it is the filter of the sun’s high-energy blue light, thus avoiding the eye’s retina from being damaged; at the same time, it is the antioxidant of the retina to protect the eye’s cells from being damaged by oxidation. As lutein has eight isomers, it is more difficult to synthesize chemically and the human body cannot synthesize itself, so it can only be taken from food. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to supplementing lutein-based foods regularly to prevent and treat AMD. The application of lutein in food and beverage Kemin Food Company in the United States used domestic production of calendula as raw materials, first began the production of lutein, so that lutein has become a food additive. The U.S. FDA has included lutein in the list of food supplements in 1995. Recently Kemin decided to double its lutein production capacity to meet the market demand for lutein. The company also launched a kiwi juice based drink with lutein for eye care, called “Super Vision Drink”. At the 2002 IFT Food Show in the United States, in addition to lutein production companies such as Kemin, Roche Pharmaceuticals, and DSM, there were two companies that specialize in producing lutein drinks for eye health using the lutein FloraGLO provided by Kemin. For example, ROSSPRODUCT, a company engaged in the research and development of health nutrition and pharmaceuticals, produces a new health drink containing 500mg of lutein per serving, with a label on the front of the package that reads “Now it’s up to lutein to help protect your eye health”, and SUNSWEETGROWERS also offers a new health drink containing 500mg of lutein per serving. COUNTRYPUREFOOD, a major U.S. juice producer, presented WellEyePower, an eye-healthy drink containing a combination of lutein and vitamins A, B1, C, E and folic acid. Lutein and its esters are insoluble in water, so manufacturers compound lutein with a purity of 70% to 80% or more by adding emulsifiers and other edible raw materials into water-soluble commercial lutein for beverage companies, such as Kemin’s Lutein FloraGLO, DSM’s Lutein 5% TG, ORYZA Oleochemicals’ LUTEIN-L8, etc. ORYZA’s LUTEIN-L8 is a slurry product with the following composition: Calendula officinalis extract 10% (lutein ester not less than 8%), hydrogenated glucose syrup 40%, triglyceride sunflower 12,4%, monoglyceride 8%, phospholipid 1,6%, and pure water 28%. The fruit and vegetable beverage developed by DSM for eye health was first made into a fruit and vegetable juice lutein 5% TG mixture, and then the fruit and vegetable mixture containing lutein and other ingredients were used to formulate the fruit and vegetable beverage for eye health. 1, containing fruit and vegetable juice lutein 5% TG mixture preparation: 65% banana juice concentrate 91, 4g, pear juice concentrate 110, 9g, 1% lutein 5% TG solution 6g, 1% zeaxanthin 5% TG solution 1, 2g, banana flavor substance 0, 1g, pear flavor substance 0, 5g mixed with water, first high-speed stirring, then high-pressure homogenization set aside. 2, beneficial to eye health fruit and vegetable beverage fishing ingredients are: 60g of fructose, inulin 17, 5g, gum solution 2% w / w20g, sodium benzoate 0, 2g, ascorbic acid 0, 2g, citric acid 50% w / w, calcium lactate pentahydrate, zinc lactate 0, 037g, vitamin E 50% O, 09g, fruit and vegetable juice lutein mixture 150, 9g, add water to 1000g. In 2000, 10 tons of lutein extracted from marigold flowers were used in Japan, with the specification of 1% emulsion and the price of 5,000 yen per kg. 2003, DSM provided lutein lutein 5% TG to Guangzhou Fanle Pharmaceutical Company to produce eye capsules with multivitamins, which is called “Vision Protection”. Each serving contains 15,1mg of lutein, 1200IU of vitamin A, 20mg of vitamin E, 30,6mg of vitamin C, 125mg of sodium vitamin C, 1,5mg of vitamin B, and 8mg of zinc gluconate, which has been approved by the Ministry of Health as a health food for relieving visual fatigue.