Method of making lipids with improved cold flow properties

• US 10,385,370 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2018
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mara Renewables Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mara Renewables Corporation
• Inventors: Sun, Zhiyong, Sothern, Alan, Berryman, Kevin, Valentine, Mercia, Milway, Michael, Purdue, Laura, Armenta, Roberto E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Visone, Thomas J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pyla, Evelyn Y
• Application Number:
  US15/926,680
• Publication Number:
  US 20180208954A1
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A23D 9/04 Working-up
• CPC Class Codes: C11B 1/04 of vegetable raw material C11B1/025 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/6427 Polyunsaturated fatty acids [PUFA], i.e. having two or more double bonds in their backbone
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/6434 Docosahexenoic acids [DHA]
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/6463 obtained from glyceride producing microorganisms, e.g. single cell oil

Abstract

Provided herein are methods of producing oils with reduced saturated fatty acids. The methods include culturing oil-producing microorganisms in a fermentation medium in the presence of one or more antifoaming agents under a controlled carbon consumption rate, wherein the culturing produces oils comprising fatty acids and wherein less than 35% of the fatty acids in the oil are saturated fatty acids.

Claims

1. A microbial oil comprising fatty acids, wherein the oil is flowable at ambient temperature, wherein the pour point of the flowable microbial oil is −

10 to 15°

C., and wherein the oil comprises

(a) saturated fatty acids, wherein 20% to 35% of the fatty acids are saturated fatty acids, (b) omega-7 fatty acids, wherein 10-30% of the fatty acids are omega-7 fatty acids comprising C16;

1 (n-7) palmitoleic acid and C18;

1 (n-7) cis-vaccenic acid, and

(c) docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), where greater than 37% of the fatty acids are DHA.

2. The microbial oil of claim 1, wherein the saturated fatty acids comprise myristic acid and palmitic acid.

3. The microbial oil of claim 2, wherein 8-12% of the fatty acids are myristic acid.

4. The microbial oil of claim 2, wherein 14-22% of the fatty acids are palmitic acid.

5. The microbial oil of claim 1, wherein the saturated fatty acids further comprise one or more of lauric acid, pentadecylic acid, margaric acid and stearic acid, and wherein less than 2% of the fatty acids comprise one or more of lauric acid, pentadecylic acid, margaric acid and stearic acid.

6. The microbial oil of claim 1, wherein the oil has a melting point of 20-33°

C.

7. The microbial oil of claim 1, wherein the oil has a cloud point of 5-20°

C.

8. The microbial oil of claim 1, wherein the oil is produced by culturing oil-producing microorganisms in a fermentation medium in the presence of one or more antifoaming agents and under a controlled carbon consumption rate and wherein the microbial oil is not winterized.

9. The microbial oil of claim 1, wherein the oil comprises C22:

5 (n-6) docosapentaenoic acid (DPA).

10. The microbial oil of claim 1, wherein the oil comprises at least 5% DPA.

11. The microbial oil of claim 1, wherein the oil comprises from 7 to 11% of the C16:

1 (n-7) palmitoleic acid.

12. The microbial oil of claim 1, wherein the oil comprises from 6 to 11% of the C18:

1 (n-7) cis-vaccenic acid.

13. The microbial oil of claim 1, wherein 25% to 35% of the fatty acids in the oil are saturated fatty acids.