Process for the recovery of a phytolipid composition

Abstract

Disclosed is a process for the recovery of a phytolipid composition from a vegetable oil by-product. The phytolipid composition produced comprises squalene, phytosterols, mixed tocopherols and tocotrieneols, and vegetable wax and is useful as an emollient. The phytochemical composition may be applied directly to the skin to provide emolliency. Alternatively, the phytolipid composition may be formulated in various aqueous or anhydrous cosmetic compositions such as creams, lotions, gels, ointments, lip balms, sticks, or pencils for treatment of the skin and lips. The phytolipid composition also may be incorporated into foods, beverages, and nutraceuticals to provide health benefits.

1 . A phytolipid composition consisting essentially of about 10 to about 40 weight percent squalene, about 2 to about 20 weight percent phytosterols, about 1 to about 10 weight percent of mixed tocols and about 40 to about 80 weight percent vegetable wax and contains less than about 0.1 weight percent solvent. 
   
   
       2 . A phytolipid composition derived from rice bran oil and consisting essentially of about 15 to about 35 weight percent squalene, about 3 to about 15 weight percent phytosterols, about 4 to about 8 weight percent of mixed tocols, about 45 to about 75 weight percent vegetable wax and less than about 0.1 weight percent solvent. 
   
   
       3 . A phytolipid composition according to  claim 2  further characterized by the following properties: an iodine number of about 50 to about 130; a saponification number of about 15 to about 35 mg KOH per g lipid composition; a melting range of about 30 to about 55° C.; an acid number of less than about 2 mg KOH per g lipid composition; and a peroxide value of less than about 10 milliequivalents per kg lipid composition. 
   
   
       4 . A skin care preparation intended for application to human skin comprising a phytolipid composition obtained from a process comprising the steps of:
 (1) distilling a vegetable oil by-product comprised of mixed tocols, fatty acids, hydrocarbons, vegetable waxes, sterol esters of fatty acids, sterols, triterpenoid alcohols, squalene, methyl-sterols, and mono-, di-, and triglycerides at a temperature of about 170 to about 320° C. and a pressure of about 0.1 to about 35 torr to produce (i) a vapor product comprising fatty acids and low boiling hydrocarbons and (ii) a liquid product;   (2) distilling the liquid product of step (1) at a temperature of about 230 to about 300° C. and a pressure of about 0.0005 to about 1 torr to produce (i) a second vapor product comprising a mixed tocols concentrate, squalene, phytosterols, and vegetable wax and (ii) a second liquid product;   (3) intimately contacting the condensed vapor product from step (2) with an extractant selected from alkanols or mixtures of acetone and water followed by separation of the resulting mixture into two phases comprising (i) a first phase comprising a majority of the extractant and (ii) a second phase comprising a majority of the condensed vapor effluent from step (2);   (4) collecting the second phase formed in step (3);   (5) cooling the first phase formed in step (3) to effect formation of a precipitate followed by collection of the precipitate; and   (6) combining the second phase collected in step (4) with the precipitate collected in step (5) and removing extractant employed in step (3) from the materials collected in steps (4) and (5);   
     whereby a phytolipid composition comprising about 10 to about 40 weight percent squalene, about 2 to about 20 weight percent phytosterols, about 1 to about 10 weight percent of mixed tocols and about 40 to about 80 weight percent vegetable wax is obtained. 
   
   
       5 . A skin care preparation intended for application to human skin comprising the phytolipid composition defined in  claim 1 . 
   
   
       6 . A skin care preparation intended for application to human skin comprising the phytolipid composition defined in  claim 2 . 
   
   
       7 . A lip balm comprising a phytolipid composition obtained from a process comprising the steps of:
 (1) distilling a vegetable oil by-product comprised of mixed tocols, fatty acids, hydrocarbons, vegetable waxes, sterol esters of fatty acids, sterols, triterpenoid alcohols, squalene, methyl-sterols, and mono-, di-, and triglycerides at a temperature of about 170 to about 320° C. and a pressure of about 0.1 to about 35 torr to produce (i) a vapor product comprising fatty acids and low boiling hydrocarbons and (ii) a liquid product;   (2) distilling the liquid product of step (1) at a temperature of about 230 to about 300° C. and a pressure of about 0.0005 to about 1 torr to produce (i) a second vapor product comprising a mixed tocols concentrate, squalene, phytosterols, and vegetable wax and (ii) a second liquid product;   (3) intimately contacting the condensed vapor product from step (2) with an extractant selected from alkanols or mixtures of acetone and water followed by separation of the resulting mixture into two phases comprising (i) a first phase comprising a majority of the extractant and (ii) a second phase comprising a majority of the condensed vapor effluent from step (2);   (4) collecting the second phase formed in step (3);   (5) cooling the first phase formed in step (3) to effect formation of a precipitate followed by collection of the precipitate; and   (6) combining the second phase collected in step (4) with the precipitate collected in step (5) and removing extractant employed in step (3) from the materials collected in steps (4) and (5);   
     whereby a phytolipid composition comprising about 10 to about 40 weight percent squalene, about 2 to about 20 weight percent phytosterols, about 1 to about 10 weight percent of mixed tocols and about 40 to about 80 weight percent vegetable wax is obtained. 
   
   
       8 . A lip balm comprising the phytolipid composition defined in  claim 1 . 
   
   
       9 . A lip balm comprising the phytolipid composition defined in  claim 2 . 
   
   
       10 . A lip balm comprising about 10 to about 60 weight percent wax and about 40 to about 90 weight percent of the phytolipid composition defined in  claim 1 . 
   
   
       11 . A lip balm according to  claim 10  wherein the wax is paraffin, candelilla wax or a mixture thereof. 
   
   
       12 . A lip balm comprising about 10 to about 80 weight percent petrolatum and about 20 to about 90 weight percent of the phytolipid composition defined in  claim 1 . 
   
   
       13 . A skin care preparation intended for application to human skin comprising an emulsion of water and the phytolipid composition defined in  claim 3  wherein phytolipid composition:water weight ratio is about 1:50 to about 2:1. 
   
   
       14 . A food product comprising a phytolipid composition obtained from a process comprising the steps of:
 (1) distilling a vegetable oil by-product comprised of mixed tocols, fatty acids, hydrocarbons, vegetable waxes, sterol esters of fatty acids, sterols, triterpenoid alcohols, squalene, methyl-sterols, and mono-, di-, and triglycerides at a temperature of about 170 to about 320° C. and a pressure of about 0.1 to about 35 torr to produce (i) a vapor product comprising fatty acids and low boiling hydrocarbons and (ii) a liquid product;   (2) distilling the liquid product of step (1) at a temperature of about 230 to about 300° C. and a pressure of about 0.0005 to about 1 torr to produce (i) a second vapor product comprising a mixed tocols concentrate, squalene, phytosterols, and vegetable wax and (ii) a second liquid product;   (3) intimately contacting the condensed vapor product from step (2) with an extractant selected from alkanols or mixtures of acetone and water followed by separation of the resulting mixture into two phases comprising (i) a first phase comprising a majority of the extractant and (ii) a second phase comprising a majority of the condensed vapor effluent from step (2);   (4) collecting the second phase formed in step (3);   (5) cooling the first phase formed in step (3) to effect formation of a precipitate followed by collection of the precipitate; and   (6) combining the second phase collected in step (4) with the precipitate collected in step (5) and removing extractant employed in step (3) from the materials collected in steps (4) and (5);   
     whereby a phytolipid composition comprising about 10 to about 40 weight percent squalene, about 2 to about 20 weight percent phytosterols, about 1 to about 10 weight percent of mixed tocols and about 40 to about 80 weight percent vegetable wax is obtained. 
   
   
       15 . A food product comprising a margarine, light spread, mustard or mayonnaise and a phytolipid composition according to  claim 1 . 
   
   
       16 . A food product comprising a product containing milk fat and a phytolipid composition according to  claim 1 . 
   
   
       17 . A food product comprising a vegetable oil and a phytolipid composition according to  claim 1 . 
   
   
       18 . A food product comprising a fat-containing beverage and a phytolipid composition according to  claim 1 . 
   
   
       19 . A food product comprising an alcohol-containing beverage and a phytolipid composition according to  claim 1 . 
   
   
       20 . A food product comprising water, ethanol and a fat having dissolved or dispersed therein a phytolipid composition according to  claim 1 . 
   
   
       21 . A dietary supplement or therapeutic preparation for oral consumption comprising an oil and a phytolipid composition according to  claim 1 . 
   
   
       22 . A dietary supplement or therapeutic preparation according to  claim 21  comprising an oil having dissolved or dispersed therein from about 1 to about 10,000 ppm by weight of the phytolipid composition. 
   
   
       23 . A dietary supplement or therapeutic preparation according to  claim 21  in a unit dosage form comprising a capsule containing an oil and the phytolipid composition. 
   
   
       24 . A dietary supplement or therapeutic preparation according to  claim 21  in a unit dosage form comprising a capsule containing an oil having dissolved or dispersed therein from about 1 to about 10,000 ppm by weight of the phytolipid. 
   
   
       25 . A dietary supplement or therapeutic preparation according to  claim 21  in a unit dosage form comprising a soft gelatin capsule containing an oil having dissolved or dispersed therein from about 1 to about 10,000 ppm by weight of the phytolipid.