Method of producing lipids by growing microorganisms of the order thraustochytriales
View Patent ↗Disclosed is a process for growing the microflora Thraustochytrium, Schizochytrium , and mixtures thereof, which includes the growing of the microflora in fermentation medium containing non-chloride containing sodium salts, in particular sodium sulfate. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the process produces microflora having a cell aggregate size useful for the production of food products for use in aquaculture. Further disclosed is a food product which includes Thraustochytrium, Schizochytrium , and mixtures thereof, and a component selected from flaxseed, rapeseed, soybean and avocado meal. Such a food product includes a balance of long chain and short chain omega-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids. In an embodiment, lipids are produced by growing microorganisms of the order Thraustochytriales in a medium and extracting the lipids.
1. A process for producing lipids comprising:
(a) growing microorganisms of the order Thraustochytriales in a fermentation medium; and
(b) extracting lipids from said microorganisms,
wherein said lipids have at least 94.0% by weight of total omega-3 fatty acids as C22:6n-3 (DHA).
2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the C16:0 content of said lipids is less than about 40% of total fatty acids.
3. The process of claim 1 , wherein said lipids have at least 68% by weight of the total fatty acids as omega-3 fatty acids.
4. The process of claim 1 , 2 or 3 wherein said lipids have at least 94.5% by weight of total omega-3 fatty acids as C22:6n-3 (DHA).
5. The process of claim 1 , 2 or 3 wherein said lipids have at least 95.0% by weight of total omega-3 fatty acids as C22:6n-3 (DHA).
6. The process of claim 1 , 2 or 3 wherein said lipids have at least 96.5% by weight of total omega-3 fatty acids as C22:6n-3 (DHA).
7. The process of claim 1 , 2 or 3 wherein said lipids have at least 97.5% by weight of total omega-3 fatty acids as C22:6n-3 (DHA).
8. The process of claim 1 , 2 or 3 wherein said lipids have at least 98.3% by weight of total omega-3 fatty acids as C22:6n-3 (DHA).
9. The process of claim 1 , 2 or 3 wherein about 20% or less of the total fatty acids in said lipids are omega-6 fatty acids.
10. The process of claim 1 , 2 or 3 wherein at least about 49% of the total fatty acids of said lipids are omega-3 fatty acids.
11. The process of claim 1 , 2 or 3 wherein the ratio of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in said lipids is about 7.07 or less.
12. The process of claim 1 , 2 or 3 wherein the ratio of EPA to DHA in said lipids is from about 1:1 to about 1:30.
13. The process of claim 1 , 2 or 3 wherein the ratio of DPA to DHA in said lipids is at least about 1:12.
14. The process of claim 1 , 2 or 3 wherein the total fatty acid composition in said lipids comprises about 5% or less of C20:4w6 fatty acid.
15. The process of claim 1 , 2 or 3 wherein said lipids have a sterol content of at least about 0.1% ash-free dry weight.
16. The process of claim 1 , 2 or 3 wherein said lipids have a cholesterol content of at least about 15% of the total sterol content.
17. The process of claim 1 , 2 or 3 wherein said lipids have at least 7.8% by weight of total fatty acids as C20:5w3.
18. The process of claim 1 , 2 or 3 wherein said lipids have more than 25% by weight of total fatty acids as omega-6 fatty acids.
19. The process of claim 1 , 2 or 3 wherein said microorganisms are of the genus Thraustochytrium or the genus Schizochytrium , or a mixture thereof.
20. The process of claim 1 , 2 or 3 wherein said microorganisms are of the genus Thraustochytrium.
21. The process of claim 1 , 2 or 3 wherein said microorganisms are of the genus Schizochytrium.
22. A process for producing lipids comprising:
(a) growing microorganisms of the order Thraustochytriales in a fermentation medium; and
(b) extracting lipids from said microorganisms,
wherein said lipids have at least 94.0% by weight of total omega-3 fatty acids as C22:6n-3 (DHA); wherein said lipids have at least 68% by weight of the total fatty acids as omega-3 fatty acids; and wherein the C16:0 content of said lipids is less than about 40% of total fatty acids.