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 method of production of krill oil comprising:
obtaining a krill meal produced by a process comprising cooking and drying fresh krill and wherein said krill meal has been stored for period of from 1 to 36 months; and
extracting krill oil from said krill meal that has been stored from 1 to 36 months with a solvent system comprising ethanol to provide a krill oil with from 30% to 60% phospholipids w/w of said krill oil, about 1% ethanol and astaxanthin esters.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said krill oil comprises less than 5% free fatty acids w/w of said krill oil.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said krill oil comprises less than about 3% lysophosphatidylcholine w/w of said krill oil.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said krill oil comprises less than about 2% lysophosphatidylcholine w/w of said krill oil.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said krill oil further comprises from 20% to 50% w/w triglycerides.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said krill oil further comprises at least 20% omega-3 fatty acids as a percentage of total fatty acids in said composition.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said krill oil comprises at least 40% phosphatidylcholine w/w of said krill oil.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said astaxanthin esters are present in the krill oil at in an amount of at least 100 mg/kg.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said astaxanthin esters are present in the krill oil at in an amount of at least 200 mg/kg.
10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising encapsulating said krill oil.
11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein said encapsulating said krill oil further comprises encapsulating said krill oil in a soft gel capsule.
12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein from 0.2 to 10 grams of said krill oil is encapsulated in said soft gel capsule.
13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said krill is Euphausia superba.
14 . A method of production of Euphausia superba krill oil comprising:
a) obtaining a Euphausia superba krill meal produced by a process comprising cooking and drying fresh Euphausia superba and wherein said Euphausia superba krill meal has been stored from 1 to 36 months; and
b) extracting Euphausia superba oil from said krill meal that has been stored from 1 to 36 months with a solvent system comprising ethanol to provide a Euphausia superba krill oil comprising 30% to 60% phospholipids w/w of said Euphausia superba krill oil, less than 5% free fatty acids w/w of said Euphausia superba krill oil, about 1% ethanol w/w of said krill oil, and at least 100 mg/kg astaxanthin esters.
15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising encapsulating said Euphausia superba krill oil so that said capsules comprise form 0.2 to 10 grams of said Euphausia superba krill oil.
16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein said krill oil comprises at least 40% phosphatidylcholine w/w of said Euphausia superba krill oil.
17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein said Euphausia superba krill oil comprises less than about 3% lysophosphatidylcholine w/w of said krill oil.
18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein said Euphausia superba krill oil comprises less than about 2% lysophosphatidylcholine w/w of said krill oil.
19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein said Euphausia superba krill oil further comprises from 20% to 50% w/w triglycerides.
20 . The method of claim 14 , wherein said Euphausia superba krill oil further comprises at least 20% omega-3 fatty acids as a percentage of total fatty acids in said composition.