Method for producing lipids by liberation from biomass

• US 20050170479A1
• Filed: 10/22/2004
• Published: 08/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DSM IP Assets BV (DSM-Firmenich AG)
• Original Assignee: DSM IP Assets BV (DSM-Firmenich AG)
• Inventors: Bell, Rebecca M., Weaver, Craig A., Fichtali, Jaouad, Behrens, Paul W., Kobzeff, Joseph M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,408,404 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/134
• CPC Class Codes: A23D 9/00 Other edible oils or fats, e.g. shortenings, cooking oils
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 33/115 Fatty acids or derivatives thereof; Fats or oils
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 33/12 Fatty acids or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 33/40 Complete food formulations for specific consumer groups or specific purposes, e.g. infant formula
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2002/00 Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2250/1882 Polyunsaturated fatty acids
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/202 having three or more double bonds, e.g. linolenic eicosanoids, e.g. leukotrienes A61K31/557
• CPC Class Codes: C11B 1/025 by enzymes or microorganisms, living or dead
• CPC Class Codes: C11B 3/001 by a combination of two or more of the means hereafter
• CPC Class Codes: C11B 5/0021 containing oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 1/06 Lysis of microorganisms
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 1/066 by physical methods
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/6472 containing polyunsaturated fatty acid [PUFA] residues, i.e. having two or more double bonds in their backbone

Abstract

Disclosed are methods of preparing high-quality polyunsaturated fatty acid-containing lipids from a lipid-containing material that include enzymatic treatment of components of the material and/or pressure disruption of the material. Lipid-containing materials include biomass, such as microorganisms. The invention further includes products containing the lipid compositions, such as dietary supplements, food products, pharmaceutical formulations, humanized animal milk, and infant formula.

Claims

1. A method for obtaining a polyunsaturated fatty acid-containing lipid, comprising:

a) providing a biomass comprising a polyunsaturated fatty acid-containing lipid;

b) contacting said biomass with an enzyme; and

c) recovering said lipid.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is conducted in the substantial absence of an extraction solvent.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said method is conducted at a temperature of from about 10 C to about 80 C, and at a pH level of from about pH 5 to about pH 9.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said method is conducted from about 40 C to about 65 C.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the biomass comprises a marine microorganism is selected from the group consisting of algae, bacteria, fungi and protists.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the biomass comprises an algae.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the biomass comprises a microorganism selected from the group consisting of dinoflagellates and golden algae.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the biomass comprises a microorganism selected from the group consisting of the genus Thraustochytrium, genus Schizochytrium, genus Althornia, genus Aplanochytrium, genus Japonochytrium, genus Labyrinthula, and genus Labyrithuloides.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the biomass comprises the marine microorganism Crypthecodinium cohnii.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the biomass comprises the marine microorganism genus Schizochytrium.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the biomass comprises the fungi Mortierella alpina.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said enzyme is selected from the group consisting of a lipase, a protease, a carbohydrase, a cellulase, a hemicellulase, a xylanthase, and a combination thereof.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of contacting the biomass with an enzyme comprises treating said biomass with an enzyme cocktail comprising a protease, a carbohydrase, and a cellulase.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising contacting said biomass with a surfactant.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing a biomass comprises the step of separating the lipid from a fermentation broth.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said separated lipid is in the form of an emulsion.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the emulsion is treated by drying the emulsion or by treatment to release the lipid from the emulsion.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising treating said lipid by at least one additional treatment selected from the group consisting of treatment with a polar organic solvent, salt, precipitating agent, a second enzyme, heating, and cooling.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the lipid is further treated by a treatment selected from the group consisting of drying, refining, bleaching, deodorizing, fractionating, winterizing, and interesterifying.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising a treatment selected from the group consisting of treatment with antioxidants and metal ion capturing agents selected from the group consisting of chelating agents, ion exchange resins, and precipitating agents.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising pressure disruption of the biomass.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said pressure disruption comprises subjecting said biomass to a pressure differential of between about 2,000 psi and about 12,000 psi.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein said pressure disruption comprises subjecting said biomass to a pressure differential of between about 4,000 psi and about 10,000 psi.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein said pressure disruption comprises subjecting said biomass to a pressure differential of between about 5,000 psi and about 8,000 psi.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein said pressure disruption comprises subjecting said biomass to a pressure differential between about 6,000 psi and about 7,000 psi.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the recovery of lipid from the biomass is greater than about 90%.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the recovery of lipid from the biomass is greater than about 95%.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said polyunsaturated lipid present in said lipid is a long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said polyunsaturated fatty acid present in said lipid has a carbon chain length of at least 20.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said polyunsaturated fatty acid present in said lipid has a carbon chain length of at least 22.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said polyunsaturated fatty acid present in said lipid has at least 3 double bonds.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said polyunsaturated fatty acid present in said lipid has at least 4 double bonds.

33. The method of claim 1, wherein said polyunsaturated fatty acid comprises docosahexaenoic acid.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein said polyunsaturated fatty acid comprises at least 10 weight percent docosahexaenoic acid.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein said polyunsaturated fatty acid comprises at least 20 weight percent docosahexaenoic acid.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein said polyunsaturated fatty acid comprises at least 30 weight percent docosahexaenoic acid.

37. The method of claim 1, wherein said polyunsaturated fatty acid comprises docosapentaenoic acid.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein said polyunsaturated fatty acid comprises at least 5 weight percent docosapentaenoic acid.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein said polyunsaturated fatty acid comprises at least 10 weight percent docosapentaenoic acid.

40. The method of claim 37, wherein said polyunsaturated fatty acid comprises at least 15 weight percent docosapentaenoic acid.

41. The method of claim 37, wherein said polyunsaturated fatty acid comprises at least 20 weight percent docosapentaenoic acid.

42. The method of claim 1, wherein said polyunsaturated fatty acid comprises arachidonic acid.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein said polyunsaturated fatty acid comprises at least 20 weight percent arachidonic acid.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein said polyunsaturated fatty acid comprises at least 30 weight percent arachidonic acid.

45. The method of claim 42, wherein said polyunsaturated fatty acid comprises at least 40 weight percent arachidonic acid.

46. The method of claim 42, wherein said polyunsaturated fatty acid comprises at least 50 weight percent arachidonic acid.

47. The method of claim 1, wherein said lipid comprises a monoacylglycerol.

48. The method of claim 1, wherein said lipid comprises a diacylglycerol.

49. The method of claim 1, wherein said lipid comprises a triacylglycerol.

147. A lipid produced by the method of claim 1.

50. A method for obtaining a polyunsaturated fatty acid-containing lipid, comprising:

a) providing a biomass comprising a polyunsaturated fatty acid-containing lipid;

b) contacting said biomass with an enzyme;

c) disrupting cells in the biomass by pressure disruption; and

d) recovering said lipid.

148. A lipid produced by the method of claim 50.

51-97. -97. (canceled)

98. A method for obtaining a polyunsaturated fatty acid-containing lipid, comprising:

a) providing a biomass comprising a polyunsaturated fatty acid-containing lipid;

b) disrupting cells in the biomass by pressure disruption by a pressure differential of less than about 12,000 psi; and

c) recovering said lipid.

149. A lipid produced by the method of claim 98.

99-146. -146. (canceled)