Lipid compositions with high DHA content
The invention provides lipid compositions comprising phospholipids having a high docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) content, which compositions are preferably extracted from natural sources. The lipid compositions are excellent sources of highly bioavailable DHA and they can be used in oral delivery vehicles, dietary supplements, functional foods, and the like.
1. A process for efficiently providing a composition with high amounts of omega-3 phospholipids comprising:
contacting immature fish roe with a polar solvent;
extracting a lipid fraction from the immature fish roe, to provide a primarily polar lipid fraction comprising omega-3 phospholipids; and
removing the solvent from the lipid fraction, to provide a solid polar lipid composition comprising omega-3 phospholipids and less than about 1 wt. % free fatty acids, wherein at least about 40% of the total fatty acids of the lipid fraction are omega-3 fatty acids, the fatty acids of the composition comprise docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and the ratio of DHA to EPA is at least about 1.3:1.
2. The process of claim 1 wherein the omega-3 phospholipids comprise one or more mine lysophosphatidylserine and lysophosphatidylinositol.
3. The process of claim 1 wherein the ratio of DHA to EPA in the phospholipid of the composition is at least about 2:1.
4. The process of claim 1 further comprising formulating a dietary supplement, nutritional supplement, pharmaceutical product, or food product with the polar lipid composition as an ingredient.
5. The process of claim 4 wherein the supplement or product further comprises a fish protein additive.
6. The process of claim 5 wherein the fish protein additive comprises a fish protein hydrolysate or fish protein-derived amino acids.
7. The process of claim 1 further comprising forming a water emulsion comprising the polar lipid composition.
8. The process of claim 1 further comprising formulating an oral delivery vehicle with the polar lipid composition as an ingredient.
9. A method for preparing a marine omega-3 phospholipid composition comprising:
contacting immature fish roe with a polar solvent;
extracting a lipid fraction from the immature fish roe, to provide a primarily polar lipid fraction comprising omega-3 phospholipids;
removing the solvent from the lipid fraction, to provide a solid polar lipid composition comprising omega-3 phospholipids and less than about 1 wt. % free fatty acids, wherein at least about 40% of the total fatty acids of the lipid fraction are omega-3 fatty acids, the fatty acids of the composition comprise docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and the ratio of DHA to EPA is at least about 1.3:1; and
combining the polar lipid composition with a carrier oil to provide the marine omega-3 phospholipid composition.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the carrier oil comprises vegetable oil, krill oil, microbial oil, fish oil, or a combination thereof.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein the marine omega-3 phospholipid composition comprises about 10 wt. % to about 90 wt. % of a carrier oil.
12. The method of claim 9 wherein the marine omega-3 phospholipid composition comprises about 50 wt. % of a carrier oil.
13. The method of claim 9 wherein the marine omega-3 phospholipid composition comprises about 20 wt. % of a carrier oil.
14. The method of claim 9 further comprising forming a water emulsion comprising the polar lipid composition.
15. The method of claim 9 further comprising formulating an oral delivery vehicle with the polar lipid composition as an ingredient.
16. A composition obtained by the process of claim 1 .
17. A method to treat high levels of blood triglycerides comprising administering to a human having high levels of blood triglycerides an effective amount of a composition of claim 16 , thereby lowering the amount of blood triglycerides.
18. A method to increase the bioavailability of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in the blood stream of a subject comprising administering to a subject an effective amount of a composition of claim 16 , wherein the amount of DHA and EPA in blood plasma is increased compared to administering an equivalent amount of fish oil.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein the administration aids the treatment of a cardiovascular disease.
20. A process for efficiently providing a composition with high amounts of omega-3 phospholipids comprising:
contacting immature fish roe with a polar solvent;
extracting a lipid fraction from the immature fish roe, to provide a primarily polar lipid fraction comprising omega-3 phospholipids; and
removing the solvent from the lipid fraction, to provide a polar lipid composition comprising omega-3 phospholipids and less than about 1 wt. % free fatty acids, wherein the polar lipid composition comprises lysophospholipids, and at least about 40% of the total fatty acids of the lipid fraction are omega-3 fatty acids, the fatty acids of the composition comprise docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and the ratio of DHA to EPA is at least about 1.3:1.