Stable aqueous suspension

Abstract

An aqueous suspension of a hydrophobic nutrient is disclosed. In particular, the nutrient, in ester form, is combined with a selected dispersion aid and a dispersion agent(s), and then dispersed in an aqueous medium to form the suspension.

We claim:  
     
         1 . An aqueous suspension of a hydrophobic nutrient which comprises, 
 the nutrient in ester form associated with a dispersion aid selected from the group consisting of a triglyceride, an essential oil extractive, night primrose oil, fish oil, and a mixture of any of the foregoing dispersion aids;    a dispersion agent: and    an aqueous medium into which said associated nutrient is suspended.    
     
     
         2 . The suspension as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said associated nutrient is in a fully dispersed, uniform form in the aqueous medium.  
     
     
         3 . The suspension as defined in  claim 2 , wherein the particles size of said fully dispersed, uniform form ranges from 50 to 400 nm.  
     
     
         4 . The suspension as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said ester is an ester of a nutritional compound selected from the group consisting of (a) a phytosterol selected from the group consisting of stigmasterol, sitosterol, fucosterol, brassicasterol, campesterol, clionasterol, desmosterol, chalinosterol, poriferasterol, and any mixture of the foregoing phytosterols; (b) a phytostanol, selected from the group consisting of e.g. α sitostanol or β sitostanol, campestanol, brassicastanol, clionastanol, stigmastanol, desmostanol, chalinostanol, poriferastanol, 22, 23 dihydrobrassicastanol and any mixture of the foregoing phytostanols; (c) lutein, (d) Coenzyme Q 10 , (e) isoflavones, (f) and a mixture of any of the foregoing esters.  
     
     
         5 . The suspension as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said triglyceride is selected from the group consisting of sunflower oil, soy bean oil, olive oil, a medium chain triglyceride, selected from the group containing fatty acids ranging from C 6  to C 12 , and a mixture of any of the foregoing triglycerides.  
     
     
         6 . The suspension as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said essential oil extractive is one selected from the group consisting of orange oil, lime oil, clove oil, oregano oil, peppermint oil, cinnamon oil, and a mixture of any of the foregoing extractives.  
     
     
         7 . The suspension as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said dispersion agent is selected from the group consisting of (a) a lecithin, (b) a hydrocolloid, (c) a surfactant and (d) a mixture of any of the foregoing dispersion agents.  
     
     
         8 . The suspension as defined in  claim 7 , wherein said lecithin is selected from the group consisting of lecithin derived from soybean and lecithin derived from egg.  
     
     
         9 . The suspension as defined in  claim 7 , wherein said hydrocolloid is selected from a group consisting of xanthan gum, starch, pectin, gelatin, guar gum, carrageenan, methylcellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose and a mixture of the foregoing hydrocolloids.  
     
     
         10 . The suspension as defined in  claim 7 , wherein said surfactant is selected from the group consisting of cetylpyridinium chloride, polysorbate 80, sorbitan monostearate, a polyglycerol ester, a block copolymer of propylene oxide, ethylene oxide and a mixture of any of the foregoing surfactants.  
     
     
         11 . A method of rendering a hydrophobic nutritional compound water dispersible, which comprises: 
 (a) treating an ester form of the compound with a dispersion aid selected from the group consisting of a triglyceride, an essential oil extractive, night primrose oil, fish oil, and a mixture of any of the foregoing dispersion aids, to form a modified nutrient compound;    (b) combining a dispersion agent with said modified nutrient compound in an aqueous medium to form an aqueous suspension; and    treating said aqueous to a high shear force to form a stable aqueous suspension.    
     
     
         12 . The method as defined in  claim 11 , wherein said stable suspension has a mean particle size ranging from 50 to 400 nm.  
     
     
         13 . The method as defined in  claim 11 , wherein said ester is an ester of a nutritional compound selected from the group consisting of (a) a phytosterol, selected from the group consisting of stigmasterol, sitosterol, fucosterol, brassicasterol, campesterol, clionasterol, desmosterol, chalinosterol, poriferasterol, and any mixture of the foregoing phytosterols; (b) a phytostanol selected from the group consisting of α sitostanol, β sitostanol, campestanol, brassicastanol, clionastanol, stigmastanol, desmostanol, chalinostanol, poriferastanol, 22, 23 dihydrobrassicastanol, and any mixture of the foregoing phytostanols; (c) lutein, (d) Coenzyme Q 10 , (e) isoflavones, (f) and a mixture of any of the foregoing esters.  
     
     
         14 . The method as defined in  claim 11 , wherein said triglyceride is selected from the group consisting of sunflower oil, soy bean oil, olive oil, a medium chain triglyceride selected from the group containing fatty acids ranging from C 6  to C 12  and a mixture of any of the foregoing triglycerides.  
     
     
         15 . The method as defined in  claim 11 , wherein said essential oil extractive is one selected from the group consisting of orange oil, lime oil, clove oil, oregano oil, peppermint oil, cinnamon oil and a mixture of any of the foregoing extractives.  
     
     
         16 . The method as defined in  claim 11 , wherein said dispersion agent is selected from the group consisting of (a) a lecithin, (b) a hydrocolloid, (c) a surfactant and (d) a mixture of any of the foregoing dispersion agents.  
     
     
         17 . The method as defined in  claim 11 , wherein said lecithin is selected from the group consisting of a lecithin derived from soybean and a lecithin derived from egg.  
     
     
         18 . The method as defined in  claim 17 , wherein said hydrocolloid is selected from a group consisting of xantham gum, starch, pectin, gelatin, guar gum, carrageenan, methylcellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose and a mixture of the foregoing hydrocolloids.  
     
     
         19 . The method as defined in  claim 17 , wherein said surfactant is selected from the group consisting of celtylpyridinium chloride, polysorbate 80, sorbitan monostearate, a polyglycerol ester, a block copolymer of propylene oxide, ethylene oxide and a mixture of any of the forgoing surfactants.