Methods of Incorporating Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Milk

Abstract

Method for incorporating polyunsaturated fatty acids into milk with improved efficiency. The methods include protecting the polyunsaturated fatty acids, including omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, with a protective agent prior to feeding the fatty acids to a milk producing animal. Methods for feeding polyunsaturated fatty acids to milk producing animals by top dressing a polyunsaturated fatty acid supplement on top of animal feed compositions and methods of making and using such compositions are also provided.

1 . A composition comprising a polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) and a protective fat, wherein said PUFA comprises an omega-3 PUFA, omega-6 PUFA or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein a source of PUFA is a microorganism. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein the microorganism is algae. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein the microorganism is in a whole cell form. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein the microorganism is from the order  Thraustochytriales.    
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein the microorganism is from the genus  Thraustochytrium  or  Schizochytrium.    
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein the microorganism is  Schizochytrium  sp. ATCC 20888 or ATCC 20889 and derivatives thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein a source of PUFA is a lipid extracted from an animal, plant or microbe. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein a source of PUFA is an oil seed. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 9 , wherein the source of PUFA is oil extracted from the oil seed. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 9 , wherein the oil seed is soybean, flax, sunflower, safflower, rapreseed or canola. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the protective fat comprises a triacylglycerol containing at least two and preferably three saturated fatty acids, or a functional derivative thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the protective fat is tristearine. 
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the PUFA comprises omega-3 PUFA. 
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the PUFA comprises omega-6 PUFA. 
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the PUFA comprises a combination of omega-3 PUFA and omega-6 PUFA. 
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the protective fat is mixed with the PUFA in a ratio of about 1:10 to about 10:1 (protective fat:PUFA). 
     
     
         18 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the ratio is from about 1:5 to about 5:1 (protective fat:PUFA). 
     
     
         19 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the ratio is from about 1:1 to about 3:1 (protective fat:PUFA). 
     
     
         20 . A method of making a composition comprising a PUFA and a protective fat, comprising the steps of:
 (a) obtaining the PUFA, wherein said PUFA comprises omega-3 PUPA, omega-6 PUFA, or a combination thereof; and   (b) combining the protective fat with the PUFA to produce the composition.   
     
     
         21 . A method of producing milk enriched with omega-3 PUFA, omega-6 PUFA or a combination thereof in an animal capable of producing milk, comprising feeding the animal the composition of  claim 1  in an amount effective to produce the enriched milk. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the milk-producing animal is a ruminant. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the ruminant is a cow, sheep, goat, bison, buffalo, antelope, deer, or camel. 
     
     
         24 . A method of obtaining milk enriched with omega-3 PUFA, omega-6 PUFA or a combination thereof in an animal capable of producing milk, comprising the steps of:
 (a) feeding the animal the composition of  claim 1  in an amount effective to produce the enriched milk; and   (b) extracting milk from the animal to obtain the enriched milk.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein said method further comprises producing a dairy product from the enriched milk. 
     
     
         26 . A method of obtaining milk enriched with omega-3 PUFA, omega-6 PUFA or a combination thereof in an animal capable of producing milk, comprising the steps of:
 (a) obtaining a PUFA, wherein said PUFA comprises omega-3 PUFA, omega-6 PUFA, or the combination thereof;   (b) combining a protective fat with the PUFA to produce a mixture thereof;   (c) feeding the animal said mixture in an amount effective to produce enriched milk; and   (d) extracting milk from the animal to obtain said enriched milk.   
     
     
         27 . A method of producing PUFA-enriched milk, comprising the steps of:
 (a) adding a layer comprising omega-3 PUFA, omega-6 PUFA, or a combination thereof on top of feed to form a layered feed, wherein the PUFA layer contains an effective amount of PUFA to produce PUFA-enriched milk; and   (b) feeding said layered feed to a milk-producing animal.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27  further comprising the step of extracting PUFA-enriched milk from the milk-producing animal. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the omega-3 PUFA, omega-6 PUFA or the combination thereof is protected with a protective fat.