Oil composition and method of producing the same

Abstract

This invention relates to a corn oil composition comprising unrefined corn oil having a free fatty acid content of less than about 5 weight percent, and methods for producing the same.

1 . A corn oil composition comprising unrefined corn oil having a free fatty acid content of less than about 5 weight percent; a moisture content of from about 0.2 to about 1 weight percent; and an alkali metal ion and/or alkaline metal ion content of greater than 10 ppm. 
     
     
         2 . The corn oil composition of  claim 1 , wherein the unrefined corn oil has an insoluble content of less than about 1 weight percent. 
     
     
         3 . The corn oil composition of  claim 1 , wherein the free fatty acid content is less than about 3 weight percent. 
     
     
         4 . The corn oil composition of  claim 1 , wherein the free fatty acid content is less than about 2 weight percent. 
     
     
         5 . The corn oil composition of  claim 1 , wherein the free fatty acid content comprises at least one fatty acid selected from the group consisting of C16 palmitic, C18 stearic, C18-1 oleic, C18-2 linoleic, and C18-3 linolenic. 
     
     
         6 . The corn oil composition of  claim 1 , wherein the unrefined corn oil composition has an unsaponifiables content less than about 3 weight percent. 
     
     
         7 . The corn oil composition of  claim 1 , wherein the unrefined corn oil composition further comprises one or more components selected from the group consisting of lutein, cis-lutein, zeaxanthin, alpha-cryptoxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, cis-beta-carotene, alpha-tocopherol, beta-tocopherol, delta-tocopherol, or gamma-tocopherol, alpha-tocotrienol, beta-tocotrienol, gamma-tocotrienol, and delta-tocotrienol. 
     
     
         8 . The corn oil composition of  claim 1 , wherein the unrefined corn oil composition has a tocopherol content less than about 1 mg/g. 
     
     
         9 . The corn oil composition of  claim 1 , wherein the unrefined corn oil composition has a tocotrienol content less than about 1.3 mg/g. 
     
     
         10 . The corn oil composition of  claim 1 , wherein the unrefined corn oil composition has a beta-carotene content greater than about 2 μg/g. 
     
     
         11 . The corn oil composition of  claim 1 , wherein the unrefined corn oil composition exhibits a peroxide value of less than about 2 parts per million. 
     
     
         12 . The corn oil composition of  claim 1 , wherein the unrefined corn oil composition exhibits an oxidative stability of greater than about 4 hours at a temperature of about 110° C. 
     
     
         13 .- 34 . (canceled)