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 a capsule containing Euphausia superba krill oil suitable for oral administration, said krill oil comprising from 3% to 15% ether phospholipids 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 composition is substantially odorless.
3. The krill oil composition of claim 1 , wherein said krill oil contains astaxanthin esters in an amount of greater than about 200 mg/kg of said krill oil.
4. The krill oil composition of claim 1 , wherein said krill oil comprises at least 30% total phospholipids w/w of said krill oil.
5. The krill oil composition of claim 1 , wherein said krill oil comprises at least 30% phosphatidylcholine w/w of said krill oil.
6. The krill oil composition of claim 1 , wherein said capsule contains a phytonutrient derived from a source other than krill.
7. The krill oil composition 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.
8. The krill oil composition of claim 7 , 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.
9. The krill oil composition of claim 1 , wherein said capsule is a soft gel capsule.
10. The krill oil composition of claim 1 , wherein said krill oil comprises less than about 0.45% w/w arachadonic acid.
11. A composition comprising a soft gel capsule containing Euphausia superba krill oil suitable for oral administration, said krill oil comprising from 3% to 15% ether phospholipids w/w of said krill oil and astaxanthin esters in amount of greater than about 100 mg/kg of said krill oil.
12. The composition of claim 11 , wherein said krill oil composition is substantially odorless.
13. The composition of claim 11 , wherein said krill oil contains astaxanthin esters in an amount of greater than about 200 mg/kg of said krill oil.
14. The composition of claim 11 , wherein said krill oil comprises at least 30% total phospholipids w/w of said krill oil.
15. The composition of claim 11 , wherein said krill oil comprises at least 30% phosphatidylcholine w/w of said krill oil.
16. The composition of claim 11 , wherein said krill oil comprises at least 40% phosphatidylcholine w/w of said krill oil.
17. The composition of claim 11 , wherein said capsule contains a phytonutrient derived from a source other than krill.
18. The composition of claim 11 , 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.
19. The composition 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 composition of claim 11 , wherein said krill oil comprises less than about 0.45% w/w arachadonic acid.