Stabilization of omega-3 fatty acids in oil-water emulsions

Abstract

A food or beverage composition suitable for human consumption includes an aqueous suspension such as cow's milk that has been supplemented and homogenized with an omega-3 fatty acid-containing supplementation oil, in which a supplementation oil includes one part by weight of an EPA/DHA fatty acid-containing enriching oil that has been combined and diluted with at least one part by weight of an oxidative stabilization oil, such as a low linoleic acid/high oleic acid-containing oxidative stabilization oil. As a result, the rate of oxidation of EPA/DHA fatty acids added to the aqueous suspension via the supplementation oil can be reduced at least two-fold or even much more compared to the rate of oxidation of an equal quantity of the same EPA/DHA fatty acid-containing enriching oil homogenized into the same aqueous suspension without having been first combined and diluted with the oxidative stabilization oil.

1 . A food or beverage composition suitable for human consumption comprising
 a stabilized omega-3 aqueous suspension that has been supplemented and homogenized with an omega-3 fatty acid-containing supplementation oil,
 wherein said supplementation oil contains docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) or eicosapentaenoic (EPA) fatty acids or both sufficient to provide a combined level of at least 10 mg per normal serving of said aqueous emulsion, and comprises one part by weight of an enriching oil containing DHA or EPA fatty acids or both, that has been combined and diluted with at least one part by weight of an oxidative stabilization oil. 
   
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said stabilized omega-3 oil is present in discrete droplets in said composition. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said aqueous suspension is cow's milk. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the rate of oxidation of said DHA and EPA fatty acids is reduced to no more than 50% compared to the rate of oxidation of an equal quantity of said EPA/DHA fatty acid-containing enriching oil homogenized into said aqueous suspension without having been first combined and diluted with said oxidative stabilization oil. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said oxidative stabilization oil is a low omega-3 fatty acid-containing oil. 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said oxidative stabilization oil is a low linoleic acid and high oleic acid oil. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 5  wherein said cow's milk is selected from the group consisting of whole milk, 2% reduced milkfat-containing milk, 1% reduced milkfat-containing milk, and skim milk. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein said EPA/DHA fatty acid-containing enriching oil comprises between 20% and 60% by weight of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids selected from the group consisting of EPA, DHA and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein said EPA/DHA fatty acid-containing enriching oil is fish oil. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein said EPA/DHA fatty acid-containing enriching oil is algae oil. 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 8  wherein said low linoleic acid/high oleic acid-containing oxidative stabilization oil is a high oleic acid vegetable oil. 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein one part by weight of an EPA/DHA fatty acid-containing enriching oil has been combined and diluted with between 2 and 20 parts by weight of a low linoleic acid/high oleic acid-containing oxidative stabilization oil. 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein said composition is incorporated into a non-liquid milk dairy product. 
     
     
         22 . The composition of  claim 21  wherein said dairy product is selected from the group consisting of hard cheeses, cottage cheese, cream cheese, yogurt, fresh creams, sour creams, buttermilk, ice cream, mixed dairy beverages, and butter. 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said composition is selected from the group consisting of milk, a milk-containing composition, a milk-derived composition, a cream, a cream-containing composition, a cream-derived composition, a cream cheese, a processed cheese, a natural cheese, a cheese sauce, a sour cream, a yogurt, a coffee creamer, an ice cream, a refrigerated or non-refrigerated dip, a salad dressing, a mayonnaise, a smoothie beverage, a processed egg, and an egg substitute. 
     
     
         27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . An omega-3 fatty acid-containing supplementation oil, comprising
 an artificial mixture of
 at least one part of an EPA or DHA omega-3 fatty acid-containing enriching oil combined and diluted with an oxidative stabilization oil. 
   
     
     
         34 . The supplementation oil of  claim 33 , wherein said EPA or DHA omega-3 fatty acid-containing enriching oil is a fish oil. 
     
     
         35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . (canceled) 
     
     
         38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . (canceled) 
     
     
         40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . A method for making a stabilized, omega-3 supplemented edible aqueous suspension, comprising
 artificially blending one part by weight of an enriching oil containing docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) or eicosapentaenoic (EPA) fatty acids or both with at least one part by weight of an oxidative stabilization oil, thereby forming an omega-3 fatty acid-containing supplementation oil; and   homogenizing a quantity of said omega-3 fatty acid-containing supplementation oil with an edible aqueous suspension, thereby forming a stabilized, omega-3 supplemented aqueous suspension.   
     
     
         42 . (canceled)