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 - 90 . (canceled)
91 . A krill meal composition comprising less than about 200 g/kg total fat.
92 . The krill meal composition of claim 91 comprising from about 5 to about 100 mg/kg astaxanthin esters.
93 . The krill meal composition of claim 91 , comprising greater than about 65% protein.
94 . The krill meal composition of any one of claim 91 , comprising greater than about 70% protein.
95 . A food product comprising the krill meal of claim 91 .
96 . The food product of claim 95 , wherein the food product is an animal feed.
97 . A method of supplementing the diet of a subject in need thereof comprising orally administering the krill meal composition of claim 91 to the subject.
98 . The method of claim 97 , wherein the subject is an aquatic animal.
99 . The method of claim 98 , wherein the administration of the krill meal composition increases flesh coloration in the aquatic animal.
100 . The method of claim 98 , wherein the administration of the krill meal composition increases growth and overall survival rate of the aquatic animal.