Liquid nutritional compositions containing unsaturated fatty acids

Abstract

Disclosed are liquid nutritional compositions comprising: carbohydrate; lipid having from about 0.1% to about 20% of an n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid, n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid, or combinations thereof by weight of the composition; a protein matrix having from about 15% to about 50% of a whey protein fraction by weight of the total protein in the composition; and a limonene-containing material, cranberry oil, or combinations thereof. The compositions are preferably aseptically packaged, and provide enhanced oxidative stability, flavor, and aroma, especially when formulated with relative high polyunsaturated fatty acid concentrations.

1 - 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . A liquid nutritional composition comprising
 (a) a carbohydrate component;   (b) a lipid component having a source of n-3 fatty acid, n-6 fatty acid, or combinations thereof, which represents from about 0.1% to about 10% by weight of the liquid composition;   (c) a protein component having from about 30% to about 50% of a whey protein fraction by weight of the total protein in the liquid composition; and   (d) about 3 ppm to about 2000 ppm of limonene by weight of the composition.   
     
     
         26 . The liquid nutritional composition of  claim 25 , wherein the composition comprises about 2% to about 5% by weight of an n-3 fatty acid, an n-6 fatty acid, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         27 . The liquid nutritional composition of  claim 25 , wherein the amount of n-3 fatty acid, n-6 fatty acid, or both in the composition is sufficient so that an otherwise identical composition containing an otherwise identical total amount of protein, but no whey protein, would produce a noticeable, unpleasant off-odor after storage for at least 12 months. 
     
     
         28 . The liquid nutritional composition of  claim 27 , wherein the combined amounts of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) in the composition is about 3%. 
     
     
         29 . The liquid nutritional composition of  claim 27 , wherein the combined amounts of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)) in the composition is about 1.7-1.8%. 
     
     
         30 . The liquid nutritional composition of  claim 25 , wherein the whey protein fraction represents from about 36% to about 44% by weight of the total protein. 
     
     
         31 . The liquid nutritional composition of  claim 30 , wherein the amount of n-3 fatty acid, n-6 fatty acid, or both in the composition is sufficient so that an otherwise identical composition containing an otherwise identical total amount of protein, but no whey protein, would produce a noticeable, unpleasant off-odor after storage for at least 12 months. 
     
     
         32 . The liquid nutritional composition of  claim 31 , wherein the combined amounts of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) in the composition is about 3%. 
     
     
         33 . The liquid nutritional composition of  claim 31 , wherein the combined amounts of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)) in the composition is about 1.7-1.8%. 
     
     
         34 . The liquid nutritional composition of  claim 25 , wherein the whey protein fraction represents from about 30% to about 38% by weight of the total protein. 
     
     
         35 . The liquid nutritional composition of  claim 34 , wherein the amount of n-3 fatty acid, n-6 fatty acid, or both in the composition is sufficient so that an otherwise identical composition containing an otherwise identical total amount of protein, but no whey protein, would produce a noticeable, unpleasant off-odor after storage for at least 12 months. 
     
     
         36 . The liquid nutritional composition of  claim 35 , wherein the combined amounts of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) in the composition is about 3%. 
     
     
         37 . The liquid nutritional composition of  claim 35 , wherein the combined amounts of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)) in the composition is about 1.7-1.8%. 
     
     
         38 . The liquid nutritional composition of  claim 25 , wherein the composition comprises as a percentage of total calories in the composition, from about 5% to about 50% of the carbohydrate component, from about 10% to about 85% of the lipid component, and from about 5% to about 40% of the protein component. 
     
     
         39 . The liquid nutritional composition of  claim 25 , wherein the composition contains at least one fatty acid selected from the group consisting of eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid and gamma-linolenic acid in an amount which is sufficient so that an otherwise identical composition containing an otherwise identical total amount of protein, but no whey protein, would produce a noticeable, unpleasant off-odor after storage for at least 12 months. 
     
     
         40 . The liquid nutritional composition of  claim 25 , wherein the composition is aseptically packaged. 
     
     
         41 . The liquid nutritional composition of  claim 25 , wherein the composition comprises from about 20 ppm to about 700 ppm of limonene by weight of the composition. 
     
     
         42 . The liquid nutritional composition of  claim 25 , wherein the limonene-containing material is a citrus fruit-containing material. 
     
     
         43 . The liquid nutritional composition of  claim 42 , wherein the citrus fruit is an orange. 
     
     
         44 . The liquid nutritional composition of  claim 25 , wherein the concentration of n-3 and n-6 fatty acids in the composition is at least about 2% by weight. 
     
     
         45 . A liquid nutritional composition comprising (A) a carbohydrate component which represents from about 5% to about 50% of total calories in the composition; (B) a lipid component which represents from about 10% to about 85% of the total calories in the composition and contains a source of n-3 fatty acid, n-6 fatty acid, or combinations thereof, the n-3 and n-6 fatty acids representing from about 0.5% to about 5% by weight of the liquid composition; (C) a protein component which represents from about 5% to about 40% of the total calories in the composition and contains from about 30% to about 50% of a whey protein fraction by weight of the total protein in the liquid composition; and (D) a limonene-containing material which contains from about 3 ppm to about 2000 ppm of limonene by weight of the composition. 
     
     
         46 . The liquid nutritional composition of  claim 45 , wherein the concentration of n-3 and n-6 fatty acids in the composition is at least about 2% by weight.