Flowable concentrated phospholipid krill oil composition

Abstract

The present invention is related to methods of making crustacean oil compositions. In particular, the crustacean oil compositions are krill oil compositions. In some embodiments, the krill oil compositions are concentrated in phospholipids. These concentrated phospholipid krill oil compositions have a sufficient flowability to permit successful encapsulation at phospholipid concentrations that is currently unattainable in the art. Such phospholipid krill oil compositions are capable of encapsulation even though they may have a phospholipid concentration ranging between approximately 60%-99% and a viscosity ranging between 100,000-3,000,000 cP. Such concentrated phospholipid krill oil compositions may be created using a small molecule organic solvent/water extraction mixture and/or sub-critical or super-critical fluid extraction at low temperatures followed by a drying process to remove water and organic solvent (e.g., for example, ethanol).

We claim: 
     
         1 . A krill oil comprising a phospholipid content ranging between approximately 60%-99% (w/w), a water content ranging between 1-4% (w/w) and an organic solvent content of less than 1%. 
     
     
         2 . The krill oil of  claim 1 , wherein said organic solvent is ethanol. 
     
     
         3 . The krill oil of  claim 1 , wherein said krill oil further comprises a viscosity ranging between approximately 100,000-3,000,000 cP. 
     
     
         4 . The krill oil of  claim 1 , wherein said krill oil is a gently dried krill oil. 
     
     
         5 . The krill oil of  claim 4 , wherein said gently dried krill oil is a lyophilized krill oil. 
     
     
         6 . The krill oil of  claim 1 , wherein said krill oil is encapsulated. 
     
     
         7 . The krill oil of  claim 1 , wherein said krill oil is a semi-solid at a temperature of at least 40° C. 
     
     
         8 . The krill oil of  claim 1 , wherein said krill oil further comprises a phospholipid content comprising phosphatidylcholine in a range of approximately 35-55% (w/w), alkyl acyl phosphatidylcholine in a range of approximately 3.0-6.0% (w/w), phosphatidylinositol in a range of approximately 0.5-0.9% (w/w), phosphatidylserine (PS) in a range of approximately 0.3-0.6%, lysophosphatidylcholine in a range of approximately 1.5-4.0%, lyso alkyl acyl phosphatidylcholine in a range of approximately 1.0-0.25%, phosphatidylethanolamine in a range of approximately 2.0-4.0%, alkyl acyl phosphatidylethanolamine in a range of approximately 0.25-1.25%, cardiolipin+N-acylphosphatidylethanolamine in a range of approximately 0.5-2.5%, lysophosphatidylethanolamine in a range of approximately 0.2-0.6%, and lyso alkyl acyl phosphatidylethanolamine of <0.1%. 
     
     
         9 . The krill oil of  claim 6 , wherein said encapsulated krill oil comprises a capsule selected from the group consisting of a soft gel capsule and a hard gelatin capsule. 
     
     
         10 . A capsule comprising a krill oil having a phospholipid content ranging between approximately 60%-99% (w/w), a water content ranging between 1-4% (w/w) and an organic solvent content of less than 1%. 
     
     
         11 . The capsule of  claim 10 , wherein said organic solvent is ethanol. 
     
     
         12 . The capsule of  claim 10 , wherein said krill oil comprises a viscosity ranging between approximately 100,000-3,000,000 cP. 
     
     
         13 . The capsule of  claim 10 , wherein said krill oil is a gently dried krill oil. 
     
     
         14 . The capsule of  claim 13 , wherein said gently dried krill oil is a lyophilized krill oil. 
     
     
         15 . The capsule of  claim 1 , wherein said krill oil is encapsulated. 
     
     
         16 . The capsule of  claim 1 , wherein said krill oil is a semi-solid at a temperature of at least 40° C. 
     
     
         17 . The capsule of  claim 1 , wherein said krill oil further comprises a phospholipid content comprises phosphatidylcholine in a range of approximately 35-55% (w/w), alkyl acyl phosphatidylcholine in a range of approximately 3,0-6.0% (w/w), phosphatidylinositol in a range of approximately 0.5-0.9% (w/w), phosphatidylserine (PS) in a range of approximately 0.3-0.6%, lysophosphatidylcholine in a range of approximately 1.5-4.0%, lyso alkyl acyl phosphatidylcholine in a range of approximately 1.0-0.25%, phosphatidylethanolamine in a range of approximately 2.0-4.0%, alkyl acyl phosphatidylethanolamine in a range of approximately 0.25-1.25%, cardiolipin+N-acylphosphatidylethanolamine in a range of approximately 0.5-2.5%, lysophosphatidylethanolamine in a range of approximately 0.2-0.6%, and lyso alkyl acyl phosphatidylethanolamine of <0.1%. 
     
     
         18 . A method, comprising:
 a) providing;
 i) a krill oil; 
 ii) a mixture comprising a small molecule organic solvent and water; 
 iii) a temperature controlled reaction vessel; 
   b) mixing said krill oil and said mixture in said reaction vessel;   c) incubating said mixture and said krill oil in said reaction vessel such that a phase separation comprising a triglyceride-rich insoluble fraction and a concentrated polar lipid krill oil is created;   d) isolating said concentrated polar lipid krill oil from said triglyceride-rich insoluble fraction; and   e) gently drying said concentrated polar lipid krill oil to evaporate said small molecule organic solvent and said water from said concentrated polar lipid krill oil to create a concentrated polar lipid semi-solid krill oil comprising a water content ranging between approximately 1-4% (w/w) and an organic solvent content of less than 1%.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said organic solvent is ethanol. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said concentrated polar lipid krill oil comprises a viscosity ranging between approximately 100,000-3,000,000 cP. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said concentrated polar lipid krill oil is encapsulated. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said concentrated polar lipid krill oil is a semi-solid at a temperature of at least 40° C. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said concentrated polar lipid krill oil comprises between approximately 60-99% polar lipids. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said concentrated polar lipid krill oil comprises approximately 63% polar lipids. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said concentrated polar lipid krill oil comprises approximately 72% polar lipids. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said small molecule organic solvent is selected from the group consisting of ethanol, subcritical carbon dioxide, supercritical carbon dioxide and acetone. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said temperature ranges between approximately 0° C. to −25° C. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said reaction mixture comprises a ratio of said small molecule organic solvent and said water ranging between 100:0 to 1:99. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein said ratio of said small molecule organic solvent and said water ranges between 100:0 to 90:10. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein said ratio of said small molecule organic solvent and said water is 94:6. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein said polar lipids comprise a combination of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine and lysophosphatidylcholine. 
     
     
         32 . A method comprising:
 a) providing;
 i) a krill oil composition comprising phospholipids ranging between 60% -99% (w/w), water and an organic solvent; 
 ii) a means for gentle drying; and 
 iii) an empty capsule; 
   b) gently drying the krill oil composition under conditions such that a gently dried krill oil product comprising a water content between approximately 1-4% (w/w) and an organic solvent content less than 1% is created; and   c) filling the empty capsule with the gently dried krill oil at a temperature of at least 40° C.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said means for gentle drying is a lyophilizer. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said means for gentle drying is an oven. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said means for gentle drying is a nitrogen stream. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said gently dried krill oil is a semi-solid at a temperature of at least 40° C. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said filling is performed with a capsule filling machine. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said krill oil comprises a phospholipid content comprises phosphatidylcholine in a range of approximately 35-55% (w/w), alkyl acyl phosphatidylcholine in a range of approximately 3.0-6.0% (w/vv), phosphatidylinositol in a range of approximately 0.5-0.9% (w/w), phosphatidylserine (PS) in a range of approximately 0.3-0.6%, lysophosphatidylcholine in a range of approximately 1.5-4.0%, lyso alkyl acyl phosphatidylcholine in a range of approximately 1.0-0.25%, phosphatidylethanolamine in a range of approximately 2.0-4.0%, alkyl acyl phosphatidylethanolamine in a range of approximately 0.25-1.25%, cardiolipin+N-acylphosphatidylethanolamine in a range of approximately 0.5-2.5%, lysophosphatidylethanolamine in a range of approximately 0.2-0.6%, and lyso alkyl acyl phosphatidylethanolamine of <0.1%. 
     
     
         39 . The krill oil of  claim 32 , wherein said krill oil is a collodial krill oil. 
     
     
         40 . The krill oil of  claim 32 , wherein said krill oil is a homogeneous krill oil. 
     
     
         41 . A method, comprising:
 a) providing:
 i) a patient exhibiting at least one symptom of a medical disorder; 
 ii) a krill oil comprising a phospholipid concentration ranging between approximately 60%-99%, a water content ranging between approximately 1-4% and an organic solvent content of less than 1%; 
   b) administering said krill oil to said patient under conditions such that said at least one symptom is reduced.   
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein said krill oil comprises a viscosity ranging between approximately 100,000-3,000,000 cP. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein said krill oil is a semi-solid at a temperature of at least 40° C. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein said medical disorder comprises an age-related medical disorder. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein said age-related medical disorder is selected from the group consisting of, a lack of homeostatic control, macular degeneration, diabetes, or inflammation. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein said medical disorder comprises malnutrition. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein said medical disorder comprises an ocular disorder. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein said medical disorder comprises a cardiovascular disorder. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein said medical disorder comprises a skeletal medical disorder. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein said medical disorder comprises a central nervous system disorder. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein said central nervous system disorder comprises mental disorder. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein said mental disorder is selected from the group consisting of infancy, childhood or adolescence disorders, cognitive disorders, substance-related disorders, psychotic disorders selected from the group consisting of schizophrenia, mood disorders selected from the group consisting of depression, anxiety disorders, somatoform disorders, factitious disorder, dissociative disorders, sexual disorders, eating disorders, sleep disorders, impulse-control disorders, adjustment disorders and personality disorders. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein said medical disorder comprises a muscular disorder. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein said medical disorder comprises cachexia. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein said medical disorder comprises digestive tract medical disorder. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein said medical disorder comprises a dyslipidemic medical disorder. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein said medical disorder comprises a hair disorder. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein said medical disorder comprises a nail disorder. 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein said medical disorder comprises a skin disorder. 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein said krill oil is encapsulated. 
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein said encapsulated krill oil comprises a capsule selected from the group consisting of a hard gelatin capsule and a soft gel capsule. 
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein said krill oil further comprises an additional ingredient selected from the group consisting of minerals, lipid soluble vitamins, lipid insoluble vitamins, bioactive health ingredients and/or omega-3 oils. 
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein said administered krill oil ranges between 0.005-0.50 grams per day per kilogram of said patient's body weight. 
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein said encapsulated krill oil comprises approximately 600 mg phospholipids.