Vegetable oil comprising a polyunsaturated fatty acid having at least 20 carbon atoms

Abstract

The present invention describes a vegetable oil comprising a polyunsatured fatty acid having at least 20 carbon atoms (LC-PUFA), which oil has (a) an anisidine value (AnV) of less than 25; (b) a peroxide value (POV) of less than 10; (c) a triglyceride content of greater than 90%; and/or (d) an Oil Stability Index (OSI) of greater than 5 hours at 80° C.

1 . A vegetable oil comprising a polyunsaturated fatty acid having at least 20 carbon atoms (LC-PUFA), which oil has
 (a) an anisidine value (AnV) of less than 25;   (b) a peroxide value (POV) of less than 10;   (c) a triglyceride content of greater than 90%; and/or   (d) an Oil Stability Index (OSI) of greater than 5 hours at 80° C.   
     
     
         2 . An oil according to  claim 1 , which has an anisidine value (AnV) of less than 25. 
     
     
         3 . An oil according to  claim 1  or  claim 2 , which has a peroxide value (POV) of less than 10. 
     
     
         4 . An oil according to any preceding claim, which has a triglyceride content of at least 90%. 
     
     
         5 . An oil according to any preceding claim, which oil has a Oil Stability Index (OSI) of greater than 5 hours at 80° C. 
     
     
         6 . An oil according to any preceding claim, wherein the LC-PUFA has at least 3 double bonds. 
     
     
         7 . An oil according to any preceding claim, wherein the LC-PUFA is an ω-3 or an ω-6 PUFA. 
     
     
         8 . An oil according to any preceding claim, wherein the LC-PUFA is selected from dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (DGLA, 20:3 ω-6), arachidonic acid (ARA, 20:4 ω-6), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5 ω-3), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA: 22:6 ω-3), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA 22:5 ω-3, or DPA 22:5, ω-6). 
     
     
         9 . An oil according to any preceding claim, containing a LC-PUFA at a concentration of at least 5 wt. % with respect to the total fatty acids in the oil. 
     
     
         10 . An oil according to any preceding claim, containing a LC-PUFA as defined in any of  claims 6  to  9  at a concentration of at least 5 wt. % with respect to the total fatty acids in the oil 
     
     
         11 . An oil according to any preceding claim, having an arachidonic acid (ARA) content of at least 5 wt. % with respect to the total fatty acids in the oil. 
     
     
         12 . An oil according to any preceding claim, wherein the sum concentration of PUFAs having at least 3 double bonds is at least 20 wt. % with respect to the total fatty acids in the oil. 
     
     
         13 . An oil according to any preceding claim, obtained from a transgenic plant. 
     
     
         14 . An oil according to any preceding claim, obtained from a plant of the family Brassicaceae. 
     
     
         15 . An oil according to any preceding claim, obtained from a plant of the genus  Brassica.   
     
     
         16 . An oil according to any preceding claim, which is a crude oil. 
     
     
         17 . Process for obtaining a polyunsaturated fatty acid having at least 20 carbon atoms (LC-PUFA) or an oil comprising a LC-PUFA from seeds, said process comprising
 (A) one or more or all of (i) to (vi):
 providing seeds comprising a LC-PUFA and/or an oil comprising a LC-PU FA, 
 (ii) drying the seeds 
 (iii) storing the seeds 
 (iv) grinding and/or flaking the seeds 
 (v) heating the seeds 
 (vi) pressing the seeds such as to expell a fraction of oil 
 And, 
   (B) obtaining the LC-PUFA or oil comprising the LC-PUFA from the seeds,
 optionally by extraction with a solvent. 
   
     
     
         18 . Process according to any preceding claim, wherein, e.g. in one or more of (i) to (vi)
 less than 5% of the seeds are total damaged seeds;   less than 2% of the seeds are distinctly green seeds; and/or   less than 0.1% of the seeds are heated seeds,   as determined in accordance with the Official Grain Grading Guide. 2001 of the Canadian Grain Commission   
     
     
         19 . Seeds, comprising a LC-PUFA, of which
 less than 5% of the seeds are total damaged seeds;   less than 2% of the seeds are distinctly green seeds; and/or   less than 0.1% of the seeds are heated seeds,   as determined in accordance with the Official Grain Grading Guide. 2001 of the Canadian Grain Commission (for Canola and Rapeseed)   
     
     
         20 . Process according to any preceding claim, wherein (ii) comprises drying the seeds at a temperature of below 40° C. 
     
     
         21 . Process according to any preceding claim, wherein (ii) comprises drying the seeds using a fluid bed dryer. 
     
     
         22 . Process according to any preceding claim, wherein (ii) comprises drying the seeds using conditioned air, which preferably has a dew point of <15° C. 
     
     
         23 . Process according to any preceding claim, wherein (ii) comprises drying the seeds, resulting in a moisture content between 6 and 12 wt. %. 
     
     
         24 . Process for drying seeds comprising a LC-PUFA, said process comprising drying the seeds as defined in any one of  claims 20  to  23 . 
     
     
         25 . Seeds, obtainable by the process according to  claim 24 . 
     
     
         26 . Process according to any preceding claim, wherein (iii) comprises storing the seeds at a temperature of below 10° C. 
     
     
         27 . Process for storing seeds comprising a LC-PUFA, said process comprising storing the seeds at a temperature of below 10° C. 
     
     
         28 . Process according to any preceding claim, wherein (v) comprises heating the seeds, whereby the temperature passes from 40 to 100° C. in less than 1 minute; 
     
     
         29 . Process according to any preceding claim, wherein (v) comprises maintaining the temperature between 120-160° C. for less than 5 minutes. 
     
     
         30 . Process according to any preceding claim wherein (vi) comprises pressing the seeds to expell oil using a press, for instance a screw press, which is cooled. 
     
     
         31 . Process according to any preceding claim, wherein (vi) comprises pressing the seeds to expell the oil, resulting in pressed oil and a press cake, and wherein B comprises obtaining oil from the press cake by solvent extraction. 
     
     
         32 . Process or seeds according to any preceding claim, wherein the seeds are from a plant as defined in any one of  claims 13  to  15 . 
     
     
         33 . Process according to any preceding claim, wherein the process further comprises purifying the oil. 
     
     
         34 . Process according to  claim 33 , wherein said purifying comprises deodorizing the oil at a temperature of below 200° C., preferably below 190° C., preferably below 185° C. 
     
     
         35 . Process for purifying a vegetable oil comprising an LC-PUFA, said process comprising deodorizing the oil at a temperature of below 200° C., preferably below 190° C., preferably below 185° C. 
     
     
         36 . A process for obtaining a purified vegetable oil comprising an LC-PUFA, said process comprising purifying a crude oil as defined in  claim 16 . 
     
     
         37 . A process or seeds according to any preceding claim, wherein the LC-PUFA is defined as any one of  claims 6  to  8 . 
     
     
         38 . A process according to any preceding claim, wherein the process is a process for obtaining an oil as defined in any one of  claims 1  to  16 . 
     
     
         39 . A food product (for humans or animals), comprising an oil according to any preceding claim or an oil obtained by a process according to any preceding claim. 
     
     
         40 . An infant formula comprising an oil according to any preceding claim or an oil obtained by a process according to any preceding claim. 
     
     
         41 . A cosmetic composition comprising an oil according to any preceding claim or an oil obtained by a process according to any preceding claim. 
     
     
         42 . A process for preparing a food product (for humans or animals), said process comprising incorporating an oil according to any preceding claim or an oil obtained by a process according to any preceding claim in said food product. 
     
     
         43 . A process for preparing an infant formula, said process comprising incorporating an oil according to any preceding claim or an oil obtained by a process according to any preceding claim in said infant formula. 
     
     
         44 . A process for preparing a cosmetic composition, said process comprising incorporating an oil according to any preceding claim or an oil obtained by a process according to any preceding claim in said composition. 
     
     
         45 . The use of an oil according to any preceding claim or an oil obtained by a process according to any preceding claim for the preparation of food product (for humans or animals). 
     
     
         46 . The use of an oil according to any preceding claim or an oil obtained by a process according to any preceding claim for the preparation of an infant formula. 
     
     
         47 . The use of an oil according to any preceding claim or an oil obtained by a process according to any preceding claim for the preparation of a cosmetic product. 
     
     
         48 . A process for preparing a food product, in particular an infant formula, said process comprising
 (a) optionally, blending an oil (preferably containing ARA) according to any preceding claim or an oil obtained by a process according to any preceding claim with one or more other oils containing a PUFA (of which one oil preferably contains DHA);   (b) mixing an oil (preferably containing ARA) according to any preceding claim or an oil obtained by a process according to any preceding claim or the blend obtained in (a) with an aqueous phase to obtain an emulsion   (c) optionally, concentrating the emulsion; and   (d) optionally, drying the emulsion to obtain a dried material.   
     
     
         49 . A process for preparing a food product, in particular an infant formula, said process comprising
 mixing one or more oils, preferably one or more vegetable oils, or a blend of oils with an aqueous phase to obtain an emulsion;   drying the emulsion to obtain a dried material; and   adding an oil according to any preceding claim (preferably in encapsulated form) or an oil obtained by a process according to any preceding claim (preferably in encapsulated form) to the dried material.