Sterol extraction with polar solvent to give low sterol, high tr

Organic compounds -- part of the class 532-570 series – Organic compounds – Fatty compounds having an acid moiety which contains the...

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C07C 5300

Patent

active

061662305

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to purified (such as by extraction) polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)-containing (microbial) oils, especially oils with a triglyceride content of at least 97% and/or a sterol content of either less than 1.5% or greater than 10%.


BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There is a growing tendency to include lipid products containing polyunsaturated fatty acids derived from various fermentation processes in foodstuffs. This is of importance in the recently established desirability to incorporate certain polyunsaturated fatty acids in an infant formula.
Various processes have been described for the fermentative production of lipids or oils containing polyunsaturated fatty acids. Examples are EP-A-155,420 for the production of .gamma.-linolenic acid (GLA)-containing lipid from Mortierella, EP-A-223,960, EP-A-276,541 and WO-A-92/13086 for the production of arachidonic acid (ARA)-containing oil from Mortierella and/or Pythium, WO-A-91/07498 and WO-A-91/11918 for the production of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-containing oil from Crypthecodinium cohnii or Thraustochytrium, and WO-A-91/14427 for the production of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)-containing oil from Nitzschia. Typically, the microbial species producing the lipid containing the desired polyunsaturated fatty acid(s) is cultured in a suitable medium and the biomass is harvested before the desired lipid obtained.
To obtain a lipid concentrate which has a relatively high triglyceride content typically a nonpolar solvent for the lipid (e.g. hexane) or supercritical CO.sub.2 is used in the extraction process. For example, EP-A-246,324 describes a fractional extraction process for the isolation of lipids from Mortierella, to obtain different extracts which are enriched in either polar or nonpolar (neutral) lipids. The neutral lipid extract still has, however, a relatively low triglyceride content (89.3%) and a high sterol content (9.4%). U.S. Pat. No. 4,857,329 describes an extraction process comprising the use of supercritical CO.sub.2 to selectively elute neutral lipids from Mortierella biomass. However, the triglyceride content of the lipid extract does not exceed 86%.
Yamada et al, Industrial applications of single cell oils, Eds. Kyle and Ratledge, 118-138 (1992) describe an arachidonic acid-containing oil extracted from Mortierella alpina biomass using hexane. The purified oil has a triglyceride content of 90%.
Thus, until now it has not been possible to obtain a microbial triglyceride oil with a high triglyceride content, i.e. 95% or higher, using previous fermentation and extraction technology. It has also not been possible to prepare oils having a particularly low (e.g. less than 1.5%) or high (e.g. at least 10%) sterol content.


DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a process for preparing a (microbial) oil with a high triglyceride content and a low content of "unsaponifiables", where an oil extracted, obtained or derived from a microbial biomass is treated with a polar solvent.
The present invention can thus provide a microbial (or microbially derived) oil having a high triglyceride content, such as .gtoreq.95%. However the oil may have a triglyceride content of at least 97%, preferably .gtoreq.98%, and optimally .gtoreq.99%. The (microbial) oil may alternatively or in addition have a low (e.g. .ltoreq.1.5%) or high (e.g. .gtoreq.10%) sterol content. Preferably the sterol content is .ltoreq.1%, such as .ltoreq.0.6%, optimally .ltoreq.0.3%.
The oil of the invention can be used in various compositions such as pharmaceutical (or therapeutic), cosmetic, feedstuff or food compositions (for human or animal consumption), especially in an infant formula or nutritional supplement.
A first aspect of the present invention therefore relates to a process of treating a microbially derived oil (an oil derived from a microorganism), the process comprising contacting the oil with a polar solvent to extract at least one compound that is soluble in the solvent, and separating at least some of

REFERENCES:
Japan Abstr. of JP62/65689, 1987.
Derwent Abstr. of JP62/798598, 1987.
Yamada, "Production of Dihomo-.gamma.-linolenic Acid, Arachidonic Acid and Eicosapentaenoic Acid by Filamentous Fungi", Industrial Applications of Single Cell Oils, Eds. Kyle and Rathledge, (1992) 118-138.

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