Modified lipids produced from oil-bearing microbial biomass and oils

• US 8,450,083 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2012
• Issued: 05/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corbion Biotech, Inc. (Corbion NV)
• Original Assignee: Solazyme Inc.
• Inventors: Day, Anthony G., Brooks, Geoffrey, Franklin, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Hanley, Susan
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, NGHI V
• Application Number:
  US13/601,928
• Publication Number:
  US 20130005005A1
• Time in Patent Office: 270 Days
• Field of Search: 435/41, 435/257.1, 424/195.17
• US Class Current: 435/41
• CPC Class Codes: A23D 7/00 Edible oil or fat compositions containing an aqueous phase, e.g. margarines
• CPC Class Codes: A23D 9/00 Other edible oils or fats, e.g. shortenings, cooking oils
• CPC Class Codes: C11B 3/02 by chemical reaction C11B3/003 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 9/26 containing oxygen C11D9/225 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/6418 by hydrolysis of fatty acid esters
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/6463 obtained from glyceride producing microorganisms, e.g. single cell oil
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/649 Biodiesel, i.e. fatty acid alkyl esters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel

Abstract

Methods for modifying a microalgal lipid by subjecting the lipid to a chemical reaction are provided, the lipid containing no more than 500 ppm color-generating impurities and obtained from Parachlorella, Prototheca, or Chlorella microalgal strains, or strains having at least 85% nucleotide sequence identity in 23S rRNA sequences to such strains grown under heterotrophic conditions.

Claims

1. A method of making a chemically modified lipid, comprising:

(a) providing a microalgal lipid comprising no more than 500 ppm color-generating impurities, wherein the lipid is obtained from microalgae cultured under heterotrophic growth conditions in a bioreactor substantially in the absence of light; and

(b) subjecting the microalgal lipid to a chemical reaction to produce the modified lipid,

wherein the microalgae are selected from strains of Parachlorella, Prototheca, or Chlorella or strains having at least 85% nucleotide sequence identity in 23S rRNA sequences to a Parachlorella, Prototheca, or Chlorella strain.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the microalgal lipid is obtained from microalgae cultured on sucrose.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the microalgal lipid is obtained from microalgae cultured on sorghum, sugar cane, sugar beet, or molasses.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the microalgal lipid is obtained from microalgae cultured on glucose.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein at least 10% of the microalgal or modified lipid is C14 or a lipid of shorter chain length.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein at least 20% of the microalgal or modified lipid is C14 or a lipid of shorter chain length.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein at least 50% of the microalgal or modified lipid is C16 or a lipid of longer chain lengths.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein at least 20% of the microalgal or modified lipid is C18.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein at least 30% of the microalgal or modified lipid is C18.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein at least 40% of the microalgal or modified lipid is C18.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein at least 50% of the microalgal or modified lipid is C18.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more chemical reactions comprise an esterification, transesterification, interesterification, hydrogenation, hydroxylation, cyclopropanation, epoxidation, deoxygenation, isomerization, or hydrolysis.

13. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more chemical reactions comprise an esterification, transesterification, interesterification, hydrogenation, or hydroxylation.

14. The method of claim 2, wherein the modified lipid is further blended with at least one oil selected from soy, rapeseed, canola, palm, palm kernel, coconut, corn, waste vegetable, Chinese tallow, olive, sunflower, cotton seed, chicken fat, beef tallow, porcine tallow, microalgae, macroalgae, Cuphea, flax, peanut, choice white grease, lard, Camelina sativa, mustard seed, cashew nut, oats, lupine, kenaf, calendula, hemp, coffee, linseed (flax), hazelnut, euphorbia, pumpkin seed, coriander, camellia, sesame, safflower, rice, tung oil tree, cocoa, copra, opium poppy, castor beans, pecan, jojoba, jatropha, macadamia, Brazil nuts, avocado, and a fossil oil or a distillate fraction thereof.

15. The method of claim 2, wherein the modified lipid is further blended with one or more additives selected from the group consisting of essential oils, fragrance oils, flavor oils, botanicals, extracts, CO₂ extracts, clays, colorants, titanium dioxide, micas, tinting herbs, glitters, exfoliants, fruit seeds, fibers, grain powders, nut meals, seed meals, oil beads, wax beads, herbs, hydrosols, vitamins, milk powders, preservatives, antioxidants, tocopherols, salts, sugars, vegetable oils, waxes, glycerin, sea vegetables, nutritive oils, moisturizing oils, vegetable butters, propylene glycol, parabens, honey, bees wax, aloe, polysorbate, cornstarch, cocoa powder, coral powder, humectants, gums, emulsifying agents, and thickeners.

16. The method of claim 2, wherein the microalgae is Chlorella.

17. The method of claim 2, wherein the microalgae is Parachlorella.

18. The method of claim 2, wherein the microalgae is incapable of performing photosynthesis.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the microalgae is Prototheca.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the microalgae is selected from the group consisting of Prototheca wickerhamii, Prototheca stagnora, Prototheca portoricensis, Prototheca moriformis, and Prototheca zopfii.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the microalgae is Prototheca moriformis.