Microbial oil mixtures and uses thereof

• US 5,550,156 A
• Filed: 12/19/1994
• Issued: 08/27/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Martek Biosciences Corporation (DSM-Firmenich AG)
• Original Assignee: Martek Biosciences Corporation (DSM-Firmenich AG)
• Inventors: Kyle, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): JORDAN, KIMBERLY R
• Application Number:
  US08/358,474
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 514/547, 514/560
• US Class Current: 514/547
• 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 2250/1862 Arachidonic acid
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2250/1868 Docosahexaenoic acid
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2250/187 Eicosapentaenoic acid
• 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 31/23 of acids having a carboxyl group bound to a chain of seven or more carbon atoms
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 3/00 Drugs for disorders of the metabolism of the blood or the extracellular fluid A61P7/00

Abstract

The present invention relates to compositions including blends of microbial oils, methods of using such compositions, particularly as supplements for infant formula, and methods of increasing the amount of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in infant formula.

Claims

1. A process for making a supplement for infant formula consisting essentially of blending a docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-containing microbial oil and a gamma linolenic acid (GLA)-containing oil, and adding an amount of the blended oils to infant formula, such that the amount of DHA provided by the blend is sufficient to provide an amount of DHA comparable to the amount in human breast milk and the amount of GLA provided by the blend is sufficient to provide GLA in an amount that, upon administration of the formula to an infant, can be converted in the infant'"'"'s body to an amount of arachidonic acid (ARA) comparable to the amount of ARA obtainable from human breast milk.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein said linolenic acid-containing oil comprises primrose, borage, or black currant seed oil.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein said linolenic acid containing-oil comprises a microbial oil.

4. The process of claim 3, further comprising obtaining said linolenic acid-containing oil from Mucor javonicus or Mortierella isabellina.

5. The process of claim 1, further comprising blending an EPA-containing oil with said DHA-containing microbial oil and said linolenic acid-containing oil.

6. The process of claim 5, wherein said EPA-containing oil comprises fish oil.

7. The process of claim 6, wherein said fish oil comprises about one part, said linolenic acid-containing oil comprises about 4 parts and said DHA-containing oil comprises about 1 part by weight of said blend.

8. The process of claim 6, wherein said fish oil comprises about one part, said linolenic acid-containing oil comprises about 4 parts and said DHA-containing oil comprises about 1 part by weight of said blend.

9. A composition consisting essentially of a blend of a DHA-containing microbial oil and a gamma linolenic acid-containing oil, in a ratio such that adding to infant formula an amount of the blended oil composition sufficient to provide an amount of the DHA comparable to the amount in human breast milk will provide an amount of GLA in the formula that, upon administration of the formula to an infant, can be converted in the infant'"'"'s body to an amount of ARA comparable to the amount Of ARA obtainable from human breast milk.

10. The composition of claim 9, wherein said linolenic acid-containing oil comprises primrose, borage, or black currant seed oil.

11. The composition of claim 9, wherein said linolenic acid containing-oil is an oil obtained from a microbe.

12. The composition of claim 11, wherein said microbe comprises Mucor javonicus or Mortierella isabellina.

13. The composition of claim 9, also comprising an EPA-containing oil, wherein the amount of EPA provided by the blend is less than or equal to one-fifth of the amount of ARA obtained from conversion of GLA in the infant'"'"'s body.

14. The composition of claim 13, wherein said EPA-containing oil comprises fish oil.

15. The composition of claim 14, wherein said fish oil comprises about one part, said linolenic acid-containing oil comprises about 4 parts and said DHA-containing oil comprises about 1 part by weight of said blend.

16. A composition comprising a blend of an oil containing DHA and an oil containing ARA, wherein DHA and ARA are in the form of triglycerides and further wherein at least one of the oil containing DHA and the oil containing ARA is a microbial oil and ARA:

EPA ratio of the blend is at least 5;

1.

17. A composition according to claim 16, wherein the oils are blended to provide a ratio of about 2 to 12 parts ARA to about 1 to 5 parts DHA.

18. A composition in accordance with claim 17, wherein the microbial oil containing DHA comprises about 25-40% DHA.

19. A composition in accordance with claim 17, wherein the microbial oil containing DHA comprises at least about 35% DHA.

20. A composition in accordance with claim 17, wherein the microbial oil containing ARA comprises about 20-40% ARA.

21. A composition in accordance with claim 17, wherein the oils are blended to provide a ratio of ARA:

DHA of about 2;

1.

22. The composition according to any one of claims 9 or 17, comprising fish oil blended with at least one microbial oil.

23. The composition of claim 22, wherein the ratio of fish oil to microbial oil is from 1:

1 to 1;

15.

24. A composition according to claim 16, wherein the oils are blended to provide an ARA:

DHA;

EPA ratio of from about 5 parts ARA and 1 part DHA to about 20 parts ARA and 10 parts DHA to about 1 part EPA.

25. A composition according to claim 16, comprising a blend of a microbial triglyceride oil containing ARA, and a microbial triglyceride oil containing DHA, wherein the microbial triglyceride oils are blended in amounts to provide a ratio of about 2 to 12 parts ARA to about 1 to 5 parts DHA and said oils further are essentially free of EPA.

26. A nutritional supplement containing the composition of any one of claims 9, 16 or 17.

27. A nutritional supplement according to claim 26, comprising a blend of a microbial oil containing DHA and a microbial oil containing ARA, wherein the oils are blended to provide a ratio of about 2 to 12 parts ARA and about 1 to 5 parts DHA, said oils having ARA and DHA in the form of triglycerides.

28. The nutritional supplement according to claim 26, wherein the supplement is a human nutritional supplement.

29. The nutritional supplement according to claim 26, wherein the human is a baby.

30. The nutritional supplement according to claim 26, wherein the human is a pregnant or nursing woman.

31. A total parenteral nutrition formula containing the composition according to any of claims 9, 16, or 17.