Food product having high concentrations of omega-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids

• US 5,340,594 A
• Filed: 07/10/1992
• Issued: 08/23/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DSM IP Assets BV (DSM-Firmenich AG)
• Original Assignee: Omegatech Inc. (DSM-Firmenich AG)
• Inventors: Barclay, William R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Czaja, Donald E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WEIER, ANTHONY J
• Application Number:
  US07/911,760
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 426/49, 426/53, 426/601.2, 435/134, 435/243, 435/946
• US Class Current: 426/49
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 10/16 Addition of microorganisms or extracts thereof, e.g. single-cell proteins, to feeding-stuff compositions A23K10/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 20/158 Fatty acids; Fats; Products containing oils or fats
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 40/20 by moulding, e.g. making cakes or briquettes
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 40/25 by extrusion
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 50/00 Feeding-stuffs specially adapted for particular animals
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 50/10 for ruminants
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 50/75 for poultry
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 50/80 for aquatic animals, e.g. fish, crustaceans or molluscs
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 11/07 Soya beans, e.g. oil-extracted soya bean flakes A23L11/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 13/00 Meat products; Meat meal; Preparation or treatment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 13/43 Addition of vegetable fats or oils; Addition of non-meat animal fats or oils; Addition of fatty acids
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 13/50 Poultry products, e.g. poultry sausages
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 15/20 Addition of proteins, e.g. hydrolysates, fats, carbohydrates, natural plant hydrocolloids; Addition of animal or vegetable substances containing proteins, fats, or carbohydrates
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 17/00 Food-from-the-sea products; Fish products; Fish meal; Fish-egg substitutes; Preparation or treatment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 17/40 Shell-fish
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 17/65 Addition of, or treatment with, microorganisms or enzymes
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 19/09 Mashed or comminuted products, e.g. pulp, purée, sauce, or products made therefrom, e.g. snacks A23L19/01, A23L19/10, A23L27/63 and A23L21/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 25/30 Mashed or comminuted products, e.g. pulp, pastes, meal, powders; Products made therefrom, e.g. blocks, flakes, snacks; Liquid or semi-liquid products A23L25/10 and A23L25/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 29/065 Microorganisms addition of bacteria for nutritional purposes A23L33/135
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 33/12 Fatty acids or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/20 : having a carboxyl group bound to a chain of seven or more carbon atoms, e.g. stearic, palmitic, arachidic 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 1/10 : by extracting
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 1/14 : Fungi culture of mushrooms A01G18/00; as new plants A01H15/00; Culture media therefor
• 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 7/6432 : Eicosapentaenoic acids [EPA]
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/6434 : Docosahexenoic acids [DHA]
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/6472 : containing polyunsaturated fatty acid [PUFA] residues, i.e. having two or more double bonds in their backbone
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 435/946 : using algae

Abstract

A process for the heterotrophic or predominantly heterotrophic production of whole-celled or extracted microbial products with a high concentration of omega-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids, producible in an aerobic culture under controlled conditions using biologically pure cultures of heterotrophic single-celled fungi microorganisms of the order Thraustochytriales. The harvested whole-cell microbial product can be added to processed foods as a nutritional supplement, or to fish and animal feeds to enhance the omega-3 highly unsaturated fatty acid content of products produced from these animals. The lipids containing these fatty acids can also be extracted and used in nutritional, pharmaceutical and industrial applications.

Claims

1. A food product, comprising:

a) lipids extracted from a fermentation process for growing microorganisms selected from the group consisting of microorganisms of the genus Thraustochytrium, microorganisms of the genus Schizochytrium and mixtures thereof, wherein said microorganisms are capable of effectively producing lipids containing mixtures of omega-3 and omega-6 highly unsaturated fatty acids under conditions comprising;

i) salinity levels less salinity levels found in seawater;

ii) a temperature of at least about 15°

C.; and

b) food material.

2. A food product, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said food material is animal food.

3. A food product, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said food material is human food.

4. A food product, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said microorganisms have been cultured in a medium comprising a sodium concentration less than about 6.58 g/l.

5. A food product, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said microorganisms have been cultured in a medium comprising a sodium concentration less than about 4.61 g/l.

6. A food product, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said microorganisms are selected from the group consisting of Schizochytrium having the identifying characteristics of ATCC Accession No. 20888 and mutant strains derived therefrom, Schizochytrium having the identifying characteristics of ATCC Accession No. 20889 and mutant strains derived therefrom, Thraustochytrium having the identifying characteristics of ATCC Accession No. 20890 and mutant strains derived therefrom, Thraustochytrium having the identifying characteristics of ATCC Accession No. 20891 and mutant strains derived therefrom, and Thraustochytrium having the identifying characteristics of ATCC Accession No. 20892 and mutant strains derived therefrom.

7. A food product, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an antioxidant added to a fermentation medium prior to harvesting of said microorganisms or added to said food product during post harvest process of said microorganisms.

8. A food product as claimed in claim 1, wherein said food product is packaged under non-oxidizing conditions.

9. A food product as claimed in claim 1, wherein said food product is extruded to reduce the amount of oxygen that reaches the omega-3 highly unsaturated fatty acid as compared to the amount of oxygen that would reach the omega-3 highly unsaturated fatty acid in an analogous food product which has not been extruded.

10. A food product, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said food material has an absence of a fishy odor.