Bioeffective krill oil compositions

Abstract

This invention discloses new krill oil compositions characterized by having high amounts of phospholipids, astaxanthin esters and/or omega-3 contents. The krill oils are obtained from krill meal using supercritical fluid extraction in a two stage process. Stage 1 removes the neutral lipid by extracting with neat supercritical CO 2 or CO 2 plus approximately 5% of a co-solvent. Stage 2 extracts the actual krill oils by using supercritical CO 2 in combination with approximately 20% ethanol. The krill oil materials obtained are compared with commercially available krill oil and found to be more bioeffective in a number of areas such as anti-inflammation, anti-oxidant effects, improving insulin resistances and improving blood lipid profile.

1 . A method of production of krill oil comprising:
 obtaining a krill meal produced by a process comprising cooking and drying fresh krill and wherein said krill meal has been stored for period of from 1 to 36 months; and   extracting krill oil from said krill meal that has been stored from 1 to 36 months with a solvent system comprising ethanol to provide a krill oil with from 30% to 60% phospholipids w/w of said krill oil, about 1% ethanol and astaxanthin esters.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said krill oil comprises less than 5% free fatty acids w/w of said krill oil. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said krill oil comprises less than about 3% lysophosphatidylcholine w/w of said krill oil. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said krill oil comprises less than about 2% lysophosphatidylcholine w/w of said krill oil. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said krill oil further comprises from 20% to 50% w/w triglycerides. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said krill oil further comprises at least 20% omega-3 fatty acids as a percentage of total fatty acids in said composition. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said krill oil comprises at least 40% phosphatidylcholine w/w of said krill oil. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said astaxanthin esters are present in the krill oil at in an amount of at least 100 mg/kg. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said astaxanthin esters are present in the krill oil at in an amount of at least 200 mg/kg. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising encapsulating said krill oil. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said encapsulating said krill oil further comprises encapsulating said krill oil in a soft gel capsule. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein from 0.2 to 10 grams of said krill oil is encapsulated in said soft gel capsule. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said krill is  Euphausia superba.    
     
     
         14 . A method of production of  Euphausia superba  krill oil comprising:
 a) obtaining a  Euphausia superba  krill meal produced by a process comprising cooking and drying fresh  Euphausia superba  and wherein said  Euphausia superba  krill meal has been stored from 1 to 36 months; and   b) extracting  Euphausia superba  oil from said krill meal that has been stored from 1 to 36 months with a solvent system comprising ethanol to provide a  Euphausia superba  krill oil comprising 30% to 60% phospholipids w/w of said  Euphausia superba  krill oil, less than 5% free fatty acids w/w of said  Euphausia superba  krill oil, about 1% ethanol w/w of said krill oil, and at least 100 mg/kg astaxanthin esters.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising encapsulating said  Euphausia superba  krill oil so that said capsules comprise form 0.2 to 10 grams of said  Euphausia superba  krill oil. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said krill oil comprises at least 40% phosphatidylcholine w/w of said  Euphausia superba  krill oil. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said  Euphausia superba  krill oil comprises less than about 3% lysophosphatidylcholine w/w of said krill oil. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said  Euphausia superba  krill oil comprises less than about 2% lysophosphatidylcholine w/w of said krill oil. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said  Euphausia superba  krill oil further comprises from 20% to 50% w/w triglycerides. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said  Euphausia superba  krill oil further comprises at least 20% omega-3 fatty acids as a percentage of total fatty acids in said composition.