LOW VISCOSITY PHOSPHOLIPID COMPOSITIONS
The invention relates to processing crustaceans such as krill to oils comprising phospholipids that are Newtonian fluids and/or and have low viscosity, and in particular to the production of oils containing astaxanthin and phospholipids that show Newtonian fluidity and have a low viscosity.
1 . An oil extracted from krill comprising from about 40% to about 60% phospholipids by weight of said oil and about 1 to about 1500 mg/l astaxanthin, said oil having Newtonian fluidity at 25° C.
2 . The oil of claim 1 , said oil having a viscosity of about 400 to about 1200 microPascals/sec at 25° C.
3 . The oil of claim 1 , further comprising about 35% to about 55% w/w triglycerides.
4 . The oil of claim 1 , further comprising about 10% to about 35% w/w omega-3 fatty acid residues.
5 . The oil of claim 1 , wherein said phospholipids comprise about greater than 90% phosphatidyl choline by weight of said phospholipids.
6 . The oil of claim 1 , said oil having a viscosity of about 800 to about 1100 microPascals/sec at 25° C.
7 . The oil of claim 1 , wherein said krill is Euphausia superba.
8 . A capsule containing the oil of claim 1 .
9 . The capsule of claim 7 , wherein said capsule is a gel capsule.
10 . An oral dosage form comprising an oil extracted from krill comprising from about 40% to about 60% phospholipids by weight of said oil and about 1 to about 1500 mg/l astaxanthin, said oil having a viscosity of about 700 to about 1200 microPascals/sec at 25° C.
11 . The oral dosage form of claim 10 , wherein said oral dosage form is a gelcap.
12 . The oral dosage form of claim 10 , wherein said oral dosage form is a free flowing oil.
13 . An oil extracted from krill comprising from about 40% to about 60% phospholipids by weight of said oil and about 1 to about 1500 mg/l astaxanthin, said oil having a viscosity of about 400 to about 1200 microPascals/sec at 25° C.
14 . The oil of claim 13 , wherein said oil has Newtonian fluidity at 25° C.
15 . A process for producing a krill oil having Newtonian fluidity comprising:
mixing krill with water to increase the temperature of said krill to about 25 to 80° C. to form a first solid phase and a first aqueous phase comprising said phospholipids and proteins;
separating said first solid phase from said first aqueous phase;
heating said first aqueous phase to produce a phospholipid and protein concentrate; and
extracting an oil from said phospholipid and protein concentrate.