Very long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids from natural oils
AssigneeEpax Norway AS
InventorsHarald Breivik, Harald Svensen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of producing a composition comprising a high concentration of very long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (VLCPUFAs) from natural oils such as fish oil, squid oil, algal oil and krill oil. In addition, a composition comprising a high concentration of very long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids isolated from such natural sources; as well as to a process for isolating separate fractions of very long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids having identical chain lengths but different degrees of unsaturation from such highly concentrated compositions is disclosed.
Claims22
A method for obtaining an enriched nutraceutical or pharmaceutical composition comprising at least 5% by weight of a mixture of at least two polyunsaturated fatty acids having a chain length of more than 22 carbon atoms and at least 5% by weight of C20-C22 polyunsaturated fatty acids from an oil composition isolated from fish oil, squid oil, krill oil or algal oil, the method comprising the steps of:
- A) hydrolyzing an oil composition isolated from fish oil, squid oil, krill oil or algal oil and comprising (i) polyunsaturated fatty acids having a chain length of more than 22 carbon atoms and (ii) C20-C22 polyunsaturated fatty acids with a base in the presence of an organic solvent selected from the group consisting of C1-C5 alcohols and ketones of the formula R1(C═O)R2 wherein R1 and R2 are each independently C1-C5 alkyl, and water to form a composition comprising free fatty acid salts of polyunsaturated fatty acids having a chain length of more than 22 carbon atoms;
- B) reacting the composition comprising the free fatty acid salts of the polyunsaturated fatty acids having a chain length of more than 22 carbon atoms formed in step A) with an acid to form a composition comprising polyunsaturated free fatty acids having a chain length of more than 22 carbon atoms;
- and
- C) concentrating the polyunsaturated fatty acids having a chain length of more than 22 carbon atoms present in the composition comprising polyunsaturated free fatty acids having a chain length of more than 22 carbon atoms to produce the enriched nutraceutical or pharmaceutical composition comprising at least 5% by weight of a mixture of at least two polyunsaturated fatty acids having a chain length of more than 22 carbon atoms and at least 5% by weight of C20-C22 polyunsaturated fatty acids.
A method for obtaining an enriched nutraceutical or pharmaceutical composition comprising at least 5% by weight of a mixture of at least two polyunsaturated fatty acids having a chain length of more than 22 carbon atoms and at least 5% by weight of C20-C22 polyunsaturated fatty acids from an oil composition isolated from fish oil, squid oil, krill oil or algal oil, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) hydrolyzing an oil composition isolated from fish oil, squid oil, krill oil or algal oil and comprising (i) polyunsaturated fatty acids having a chain length of more than 22 carbon atoms and (ii) C20-C22 polyunsaturated fatty acids with a base in the presence of an organic solvent selected from the group consisting of C1-C5 alcohols and ketones of the formula R1(C═O)R2 wherein R1 and R2 are each independently C1-C5 alkyl, and water to form a composition comprising free fatty acid salts of polyunsaturated fatty acids having a chain length of more than 22 carbon atoms;
- b) subjecting the composition formed in step a) to conditions such that (i) a precipitate and (ii) a filtrate comprising free fatty acid salts of polyunsaturated fatty acids having a chain length of more than 22 carbon atoms are formed;
- c) removing the precipitate to obtain a filtrate comprising free fatty acid salts of polyunsaturated fatty acids having a chain length of more than 22 carbon atoms;
- d) reacting the filtrate comprising free fatty acid salts of polyunsaturated fatty acids having a chain length of more than 22 carbon atoms with an acid to form a composition comprising polyunsaturated free fatty acids having a chain length of more than 22 carbon atoms;
- and
- e) concentrating the polyunsaturated fatty acids having a chain length of more than 22 carbon atoms present in the composition comprising polyunsaturated free fatty acids having a chain length of more than 22 carbon atoms to produce the enriched nutraceutical or pharmaceutical composition comprising at least 5% by weight of a mixture of polyunsaturated fatty acids having a chain length of more than 22 carbon atoms and at least 5% by weight of C20-C22 polyunsaturated fatty acids.
An enriched composition comprising:
- at least 5% by weight of a mixture of at least two polyunsaturated fatty acids having a chain length of more than 22 carbon atoms, and
- at least 5% by weight of C20-C22 polyunsaturated fatty acids,
- wherein the polyunsaturated fatty acids are isolated from fish oil, and the composition is a nutraceutical or pharmaceutical composition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.