| abstract |
The present invention relates to carotenoid-oxygen copolymers, compositions, methods of identifying and quantifying carotenoid-oxygen copolymers in food and related sources, and methods of producing compositions comprising same. In one aspect the method of identifying and quantifying carotenoid-oxygen copolymers comprises an analysis of a low molecular weight marker compound in said sources. In another aspect the present invention provides a method of preparing compositions comprising said carotenoid-oxygen copolymers and/or enhancing levels of said copolymers in food sources in a sufficient and practically useful concentration to have beneficial effects in animals and humans, including beneficial immunological and health effects. |