PLANT EXTRACT COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS OF PREPARATION THEREOF

• US 20170318827A1
• Filed: 07/26/2017
• Published: 11/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apeel Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apeel Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Perez, Louis, Rogers, James, Bakus, II, Ronald C., Holland, Chance, Du, Jenny
• Granted Patent: US 10,517,310 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 7/154 Organic compounds; Microorganisms; Enzymes
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 7/16 Coating with a protective layer; Compositions or apparatus therefor A23B7/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/3517 Carboxylic acid esters
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2002/00 Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2200/10 Preserving against microbes
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2250/186 Fatty acids
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2300/14 Extraction
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 11/0284 Multistage extraction
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 11/0288 Applications, solvents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 37/00 Processes of filtration processes specially adapted for filtering gases B01D46/00

Abstract

Embodiments described herein relate generally to plant extract compositions and methods to isolate cutin-derived monomers, oligomers, and mixtures thereof for application in agricultural coating formulations, and in particular, to methods of preparing plant extract compositions that include functionalized and non-functionalized fatty acids and fatty esters (as well as their oligomers and mixtures thereof), which are substantially free from accompanying plant-derived compounds (e.g., proteins, polysaccharides, phenols, lignans, aromatic acids, terpenoids, flavonoids, carotenoids, alkaloids, alcohols, alkanes, and aldehydes) and can be used in agricultural coating formulations.

Claims

1. A method of treating a product, comprising:

obtaining a composition comprising plant-derived fatty acids;

functionalizing the fatty acids by esterification to form fatty acid esters;

causing the fatty acid esters to be added to a solvent to form a mixture; and

causing the mixture to be applied to a surface of the product to form a protective coating over the product.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising causing an emulsifier to be added to the solvent.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the solvent is water.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the forming of the protective coating further comprises causing the solvent to be removed from the surface of the product.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the product is an edible product.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the product is an inedible product.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein functionalizing the fatty acids by esterification comprises glycerating the fatty acids to form monoacylglyceride compounds.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein functionalizing the fatty acids by esterification comprises forming fatty acid ethyl esters.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the protective coating is formulated to prevent diffusion of gaseous species.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the fatty acids comprise at least one of hexadecanoic acid, 16-hydroxyhexadecanoic acid, 9,16-dihydroxyhexadecanoic acid, 10,16-dihydroxyhexadecanoic acid, or 9,10,16-trihydroxyhexadecanoic acid.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the fatty acids comprise at least one of octadecanoic acid, 18-hydroxyoctadecanoic acid, 9,18-dihydroxyoctadecanoic acid, 10,18-dihydroxyoctadecanoic acid, or 9,10,18-trihydroxyoctadecanoic acid.

12. A method of treating a product, comprising:

obtaining a plant extract composition comprising a first group of fatty acid esters;

transesterifying the first group of fatty acid esters to form a second group of fatty acid esters; and

causing the second group of fatty acid esters to be applied to a surface of the product to form a protective coating over the product.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the product is an edible product, and the protective coating serves to reduce moisture loss from the product.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the second group of fatty acid esters comprise monoacylglyceride compounds.

15. A method of treating a product, comprising:

obtaining a composition comprising free fatty acids and fatty acid monoacylglycerides;

causing the composition to be added to a solvent to form a mixture;

causing the mixture to be applied to a surface of the product; and

causing the solvent to be removed from the surface of the product, thereby forming a protective coating over the product, wherein the protective coating comprises the free fatty acids and the fatty acid esters.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the solvent comprises ethanol or water.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the free fatty acids comprise cutin-derived monomers, oligomers, or combinations thereof.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the fatty acid esters are formed from cutin-derived monomers, oligomers, or combinations thereof.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the composition further comprises fatty acid C₁-C₆ alkyl esters.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the fatty acid esters comprise esters of hexadecanoic acid, 16-hydroxyhexadecanoic acid, 9,16-dihydroxyhexadecanoic acid, 10,16-dihydroxyhexadecanoic acid, or 9,10,16-trihydroxyhexadecanoic acid.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the fatty acid esters comprise esters of octadecanoic acid, 18-hydroxyoctadecanoic acid, 9,18-dihydroxyoctadecanoic acid, 10,18-dihydroxyoctadecanoic acid, or 9,10,18-trihydroxyoctadecanoic acid.

22. A method of treating an agricultural product, comprising:

obtaining a composition comprising free fatty acids or fatty acid esters that are not naturally produced by the agricultural product;

causing the composition to be added to a solvent to form a mixture; and

causing the mixture to be applied to a surface of the agricultural product to form a protective coating over the agricultural product, wherein the protective coating comprises the free fatty acids or the fatty acid esters.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the protective coating serves to reduce microbial growth on the surface of the agricultural product or to protect the agricultural product from biotic stressors.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the protective coating is formulated to render the agricultural product unattractive or unrecognizable to bacteria, fungi, or pests.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the protective coating alters a chemical environment of the surface of the agricultural product, thereby making the surface unfavorable for bacteria, fungi, or pests to grow.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the protective coating is applied to the surface of the agricultural product prior to harvesting of the agricultural product.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the process of forming the protective coating over the agricultural product causes one or more of the free fatty acids or fatty acid esters to cross-link on the surface of the agricultural product.

28. The method of claim 22, wherein the free fatty acids or fatty acid esters comprise at least one of a hydroxy fatty acid, a dihydroxy fatty acid, a trihydroxy fatty acid, a hydroxy fatty ester, a dihydroxy fatty ester, or a trihydroxy fatty ester.

29. The method of claim 22, wherein the obtaining of the composition comprises at least partially depolymerizing cutin obtained from plant matter.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the composition is substantially free of proteins, polysaccharides, phenols, lignans, aromatic acids, terpenoids, flavonoids, carotenoids, alkaloids, alcohols, alkanes, and aldehydes.