Bioeffective krill oil compositions
This invention discloses new krill oil compositions characterized by having high amounts of phospholipids, astaxanthin esters and/or omega-3 contents. The krill oils are obtained from krill meal using supercritical fluid extraction in a two stage process. Stage 1 removes the neutral lipid by extracting with neat supercritical CO 2 or CO 2 plus approximately 5% of a co-solvent. Stage 2 extracts the actual krill oils by using supercritical CO 2 in combination with approximately 20% ethanol. The krill oil materials obtained are compared with commercially available krill oil and found to be more bioeffective in a number of areas such as anti-inflammation, anti-oxidant effects, improving insulin resistances and improving blood lipid profile.
1. A krill oil composition comprising Euphausia superba krill oil suitable for oral administration, said krill oil comprising greater than about 3% ether phospholipids w/w of said krill oil; from about 27% to 50% non-ether phospholipids w/w of said krill oil so that the amount of total phospholipids in the composition is from about 30% to 60% w/w of said krill oil; from about 20% to 50% triglycerides w/w of said krill oil, and astaxanthin esters in amount of greater than about 100 mg/kg of said krill oil.
2. The krill oil composition of claim 1 , wherein said krill oil contains greater than about 200 mg/kg astaxanthin esters.
3. The krill oil composition of claim 1 , wherein said krill oil contains greater than about 300 mg/kg astaxanthin esters.
4. The krill oil composition of claim 1 , wherein said krill oil contains greater than about 400 mg/kg astaxanthin esters.
5. The krill oil composition of claim 1 , wherein said krill oil comprises from about 20% to 35% omega-3 fatty acids as a percentage of total fatty acids in said composition.
6. The krill oil composition of claim 5 , wherein from about 70% to 95% of said omega-3 fatty acids are attached to said phospholipids.
7. The krill oil composition of claim 1 , wherein said krill oil is contained in a soft gel capsule.
8. The krill oil composition of claim 1 , wherein said krill oil composition comprises a plant phytonutrient.
9. The krill oil composition of claim 1 , wherein said krill oil comprises greater than about 4% w/w ether phospholipids.
10. The krill oil composition of claim 9 , wherein said krill oil comprises greater than about 200 mg/kg astaxanthin esters.
11. The krill oil composition of claim 9 , wherein said krill oil comprises greater than about 300 mg/kg astaxanthin esters.
12. The krill oil composition of claim 10 , wherein said krill oil comprises from about 20% to 35% omega-3 fatty acids as a percentage of total fatty acids in said composition.
13. The krill oil composition of claim 12 , wherein from about 70% to 95% of said omega-3 fatty acids are attached to said phospholipids.
14. The krill oil composition of claim 10 , wherein said krill oil comprises greater than about 400 mg/kg astaxanthin esters.
15. The krill oil composition of claim 14 , wherein said krill oil comprises from about 20% to 35% omega-3 fatty acids as a percentage of total fatty acids in said composition.
16. The krill oil composition of claim 15 , wherein from about 70% to 95% of said omega-3 fatty acids are attached to said phospholipids.
17. The krill oil composition of claim 11 , wherein said krill oil composition comprises a plant phytonutrient.
18. The krill oil composition of claim 1 , wherein said krill oil comprises greater than about 5% w/w ether phospholipids.
19. The krill oil composition of claim 18 , wherein said krill oil comprises greater than about 200 mg/kg astaxanthin esters.
20. The krill oil composition of claim 18 , wherein said krill oil comprises greater than about 300 mg/kg astaxanthin esters.
21. The krill oil composition of claim 19 , wherein said krill oil comprises from about 20% to 35% omega-3 fatty acids as a percentage of total fatty acids in said composition.
22. The krill oil composition of claim 21 , wherein from about 70% to 95% of said omega-3 fatty acids are attached to said phospholipids.
23. The krill oil composition of claim 15 , wherein said krill oil comprises greater than about 400 mg/kg astaxanthin esters.
24. The krill oil composition of claim 19 , wherein said krill oil composition comprises a plant phytonutrient.
25. Encapsulated krill oil comprising:
a capsule containing a safe and effective amount of Euphausia superba krill oil, said krill oil comprising greater than about 3% ether phospholipids w/w of said krill oil; from about 27% to 50% non-ether phospholipids w/w of said krill oil so that the amount of total phospholipids in the composition is from about 30% to 60% w/w of said krill oil; from about 20% to 50% triglycerides w/w of said krill oil, and astaxanthin esters in amount of greater than about 100 mg/kg of said krill oil.
26. The encapsulated krill oil of claim 25 , wherein said krill oil in said capsules contains greater than about 200 mg/kg astaxanthin esters.
27. The encapsulated krill oil of claim 25 , wherein said krill oil in said capsules contains greater than about 300 mg/kg astaxanthin esters.
28. The encapsulated krill oil of claim 25 , wherein said krill oil in said capsules contains greater than about 400 mg/kg astaxanthin esters.
29. The encapsulated krill oil of claim 25 , wherein said krill oil in said capsules comprises from about 20% to 35% omega-3 fatty acids as a percentage of total fatty acids in said composition.
30. The encapsulated krill oil of claim 29 , wherein from about 70% to 95% of said omega-3 fatty acids are attached to said phospholipids.
31. The encapsulated krill oil of claim 25 , wherein said capsule is a soft gel capsule.
32. The encapsulated krill oil of claim 25 , wherein said capsule further contains a plant phytonutrient.
33. The encapsulated krill oil of claim 25 , wherein said krill oil in said capsules comprises greater than about 4% w/w ether phospholipids.
34. The encapsulated krill oil of claim 33 , wherein said krill oil in said capsules comprises greater than about 200 mg/kg astaxanthin esters.
35. The encapsulated krill oil of claim 33 , wherein said krill oil in said capsules comprises greater than about 300 mg/kg astaxanthin esters.
36. The encapsulated krill oil of claim 34 , wherein said krill oil in said capsules comprises from about 20% to 35% omega-3 fatty acids as a percentage of total fatty acids in said composition.
37. The encapsulated krill oil of claim 36 , wherein from about 70% to 95% of said omega-3 fatty acids are attached to said phospholipids.
38. The encapsulated krill oil of claim 34 , wherein said krill oil in said capsules comprises greater than about 400 mg/kg astaxanthin esters.
39. The encapsulated krill oil of claim 38 , wherein said krill oil in said capsules comprises from about 20% to 35% omega-3 fatty acids as a percentage of total fatty acids in said composition.
40. The encapsulated krill oil of claim 39 , wherein from about 70% to 95% of said omega-3 fatty acids are attached to said phospholipids.
41. The encapsulated krill oil of claim 34 , wherein said capsule further contains a plant phytonutrient.
42. The encapsulated krill oil of claim 25 , wherein said krill oil in said capsules comprises greater than about 5% w/w ether phospholipids.
43. The encapsulated krill oil of claim 42 , wherein said krill oil in said capsules comprises greater than about 200 mg/kg astaxanthin esters.
44. The encapsulated krill oil of claim 42 , wherein said krill oil in said capsules comprises greater than about 300 mg/kg astaxanthin esters.
45. The encapsulated krill oil of claim 43 , wherein said krill oil in said capsules comprises from about 20% to 35% omega-3 fatty acids as a percentage of total fatty acids in said composition.
46. The encapsulated krill oil of claim 45 , wherein from about 70% to 95% of said omega-3 fatty acids are attached to said phospholipids.
47. The encapsulated krill oil of claim 43 , wherein said krill oil in said capsules comprise greater than about 400 mg/kg astaxanthin esters.
48. The encapsulated krill oil of claim 43 , wherein said capsule further contains a plant phytonutrient.