Preparation of microbial polyunsaturated fatty acid containing oil from pasteurised biomass

• US 6,727,373 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2002
• Issued: 04/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DSM IP Assets BV (DSM-Firmenich AG)
• Original Assignee: Dsm Nv
• Inventors: Visser, Johannes Martinus Jacobus, Bijl, Hendrik Louis, Schaap, Albert, Wolf, Johannes Hendrik
• Primary Examiner(s): Carr, Deborah D.
• Application Number:
  US10/216,491
• Publication Number:
  US 20040049062A1
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 554/8, 554/20, 438/132, 438/134, 438/171, 438/254.1, 438/251.1
• US Class Current: 554/8
• CPC Class Codes: A23D 9/00 Other edible oils or fats, e.g. shortenings, cooking oils
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 20/158 Fatty acids; Fats; Products containing oils or fats
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 31/00 Edible extracts or preparations of fungi; Preparation or treatment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 33/11 Plant sterols or derivatives thereof, e.g. phytosterols
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 33/12 Fatty acids or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 33/15 Vitamins
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2002/00 Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2250/1868 Docosahexaenoic acid
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2250/1882 Polyunsaturated fatty acids
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2250/706 Vitamin B12
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2800/85 Products or compounds obtained by fermentation, e.g. yoghurt, beer, wine
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/375 the alcohol moiety containing more than one hydroxy group
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/67 Vitamins
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/92 Oils, fats or waxes; Derivatives thereof, e.g. hydrogenation products thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/9728 Fungi, e.g. yeasts
• CPC Class Codes: A61Q 19/00 Preparations for care of the skin
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 51/47 by solid-liquid treatment; by chemisorption
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 57/03 Monocarboxylic acids
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 57/12 Straight chain carboxylic acids containing eighteen carbon atoms
• CPC Class Codes: C11B 1/02 Pretreatment
• CPC Class Codes: C11B 1/10 : by extracting
• CPC Class Codes: C11B 1/104 : using super critical gases or vapours
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 1/005 : after treatment of microbial biomass not covered by C12N1/02 - C12N1/08
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 1/14 : Fungi culture of mushrooms A01G18/00; as new plants A01H15/00; Culture media therefor
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 17/06 : containing a six-membered hetero ring, e.g. fluorescein
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 19/42 : Cobalamins, i.e. vitamin B12, LLD factor
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 23/00 : Preparation of compounds containing a cyclohexene ring having an unsaturated side chain containing at least ten carbon atoms bound by conjugated double bonds, e.g. carotenes containing heterorings C12P17/00
• 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 7/6463 : obtained from glyceride producing microorganisms, e.g. single cell oil
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/6472 : containing polyunsaturated fatty acid [PUFA] residues, i.e. having two or more double bonds in their backbone

Abstract

The present invention discloses a microbial polyunsaturated fatty acid(PUFA)-containing oil with a high triglyceride content and a high oxidative stability. In addition, a method is described for the recovery of such oil from a microbial biomass deriverd from a pasteurized fermentation broth, wherein the microbial biomass is subjected to extrusion to form granular particles, dried and the oil then extracted from the dried granules using an appropriate solvent.

Claims

1. A process for obtaining an oil comprising at least one polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) from a microbial biomass, the process comprising:

a) providing a biomass with a dry matter content of from 25 to 80%;

b) granulating the biomass into granular particles;

c) drying the granular particles to give dried granules; and

d) extracting or isolating the oil from the dried granules.

2. A process according to claim 1 wherein the granular particles produced in step b) have an average dry matter content of from 30 to 70%.

3. A process according to claim 2 wherein the dried granules produced in step c) have an average dry matter content of at least 80%.

4. A process according to claim 1 wherein in step d) the oil is extracted using a suitable solvent.

5. A process according to claim 1 additionally comprising refining the extracted oil.

6. A process according to claim 1 wherein in step (b) the granulation is effected by extrusion of the biomass.

7. A process according to claim 6 wherein the biomass is subjected to crumbling or kneading before the granulation of step b).

8. A process according to claim 1 wherein the biomass in (a) is obtained by solid/liquid separation performed on a fermentation broth.

9. A process according to claim 8 wherein the solid/liquid separation is combined with mechanical dewatering.

10. A process according to claim 1 wherein in (a) the biomass with a dry matter content of 25 to 80% is obtained by the addition of a solid material to the biomass.

11. A process according to claim 3 wherein the drying of the granulation biomass in step c) to a dry matter content of at least 80% is performed by fluidized bed or subfluidized bed drying.

12. A process according to claim 1 wherein the biomass comprises, or originates from, a fungus.

13. A process according to claim 12 wherein the fungus belongs to the order Mucorales.

14. A process according to claim 12 wherein the fungus belongs to the genus Mortierella.

15. A process according to claim 12 wherein the fungus is Mortierella alpina.

16. A process according to claim 1 wherein the biomass comprises, or originates from, an algae.

17. A process according to claim 16 wherein the algae is a dinoflagellate and/or belongs to the genus Crypthecodinium.

18. A process according to claim 16 wherein the algae is Crypthecodinium cohnii.

19. A process according to claim 1, wherein the polyunsaturated fatty acid is a C18, C20 or C22 ω

-3 or a C18, C20 or C22 ω

-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid.

20. A process according to claim 19 wherein the PUFA compound is a C20 or C22 ω

-3 or C20 ω

-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid.

21. A process according to claim 1 wherein the PUFA is arachidonic acid (ARA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and/or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).