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. Encapsulated krill oil comprising:
a capsule containing an effective amount of krill oil, said krill oil comprising from about 3% to about 15% w/w ether phospholipids.
2. The encapsulated krill oil of claim 1 , wherein said krill oil comprises at least 30% total phospholipids w/w.
3. The encapsulated krill oil of claim 1 , wherein said krill oil comprises at least 30% phosphatidylcholine w/w.
4. The encapsulated krill oil of claim 1 , wherein said krill oil is a polar solvent extract of krill.
5. The encapsulated krill oil of claim 1 , wherein said capsule contains a phytonutrient derived from a source other than krill.
6. The encapsulated krill oil of claim 1 , wherein said krill oil further comprises from about 3% to about 10% w/w ether phospholipids; from about 27% to 50% w/w non-ether phospholipids so that the amount of total phospholipids in the composition is from about 30% to 60% w/w; and from about 20% to 50% w/w triglycerides.
7. The encapsulated krill oil of claim 6 , wherein said krill oil further comprises from about 20% to 35% omega-3 fatty acids as a percentage of total fatty acids in said composition.
8. The encapsulated krill oil of claim 7 , wherein from about 70% to 95% of said omega-3 fatty acids are attached to said phospholipids.
9. The encapsulated krill oil of claim 1 , wherein said krill is Euphausia superba.
10. The encapsulated krill oil of claim 1 , wherein said capsule is a soft gel capsule.
11. The encapsulated krill oil of claim 1 , wherein said krill oil comprises less than about 0.45% w/w arachadonic acid.
12. Encapsulated krill oil comprising:
a capsule containing an effective amount of krill oil, said krill oil comprising from about 3% to about 10% w/w ether phospholipids; from about 27% to 50% w/w non-ether phospholipids so that the amount of total phospholipids in the composition is from about 30% to 60% w/w; and from about 20% to 50% w/w triglycerides.
13. The encapsulated krill oil of claim 6 , wherein said krill oil further comprises from about 20% to 35% omega-3 fatty acids as a percentage of total fatty acids in said composition.
14. The encapsulated krill oil of claim 13 , wherein from about 70% to 95% of said omega-3 fatty acids are attached to said phospholipids.
15. The encapsulated krill oil of claim 12 , wherein said krill is Euphausia superba.
16. The encapsulated krill oil of claim 12 , wherein said capsule is a soft gel capsule.
17. The encapsulated krill oil of claim 12 , wherein said krill oil comprises less than about 0.45% w/w arachadonic acid.
18. Encapsulated Antarctic krill oil comprising:
a soft gel capsule containing an effective amount of krill oil, said krill oil comprising from about 3% to about 10% w/w ether phospholipids, from about 27% to 50% w/w non-ether phospholipids so that the amount of total phospholipids in the composition is from about 30% to 60% w/w; and from about 20% to 50% w/w triglycerides.
19. The encapsulated krill oil of claim 18 , wherein said krill oil further comprises from about 20% to 35% omega-3 fatty acids as a percentage of total fatty acids in said composition.
20. The encapsulated krill oil of claim 19 , wherein from about 70% to 95% of said omega-3 fatty acids are attached to said phospholipids.