Nutrient emulsion and preparation method thereof

Abstract

The present invention provides a nutrient emulsion and a preparation method thereof. Specifically, the nutrient emulsion comprises egg yolk phospholipids, OPO-containing triglycerides, raw oil and water, wherein: the weight ratio of the egg yolk phospholipids to the OPO-containing triglycerides is in the range of 1:40 to 3:7; The average particle size D [4,3] of the oil droplet particles formed in the nutrient emulsion was in the range of 0.8-1.5 pm; And in the OPO-containing triglycerides, the proportion of 2-palmitic acid in the total palmitic acid is at least 52%, and the content of OPO is at least 40% by weight. According to the invention, the nutrient emulsion has good system stability and will not appear turbid or delaminate after long-term storage.

Description

[0001] NUTRIENT EMULSION AND PREPARATION METHOD THEREOF

[0002] FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0003] This invention relates to the field of food processing technology. Specifically, this invention provides a nutrient emulsion comprising an egg phospholipid and l,3-dioleyl-2-palmitoyl triglyceride(OPO) and the preparation method thereof.

[0004] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0005] Egg phospholipid, also known as egg yolk lecithin, is a natural phospholipid mixture present in egg yolks. It has the characteristics of an amphiphilic molecule, that is, one end is hydrophilic (containing a head of nitrogen or phosphorus) and the other end is hydrophobic (a long hydrocarbon chain that is lipophilic). Egg phospholipid has important physiological functions and application value in edible oil. Specifically, egg phospholipid has physiological activities such as antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular protection or the like. It can improve fat metabolism, protect the retina, and improve intelligence and brain health or the like. In addition, egg yolk lecithin can relieve blood coagulation, clarify blood lipids, avoid hardening of arterial vascular membranes, and prevent diseases such as arteriosclerosis, myocardial infarction and cerebral hemorrhage or the like. Choline in egg yolk lecithin is a precursor of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which can improve memory and learning ability. In addition, egg yolk lecithin can promote the synthesis and regeneration of lipoproteins, improve alcoholic liver disorders, and protect the membranes of liver mitochondria, microsomes, and lysosomes from damage. In conclusion, egg phospholipid is regarded as a natural resource with high added value due to its versatility and wide application in the food industry. In edible oil, it can not only improve the nutritional value of food, but also enhance the flavor and taste of food, which is of great significance to promoting health and improving food quality.

[0006] On the other hand, 1,3 -dioleyl-2 -palmitoyl triglyceride(OPO) is a structured fat characterized by the fact that its palmitic acid is mainly located at the sn-2 position of the triglyceride, while the unsaturated fatty acids such as oleic acid are mainly located at the

[0007] 1

[0008] INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (RULE 20.6) sn-1 and sn-3 positions. This structure is similar to the natural fat structure in breast milk. The OPO structured lipids can provide a variety of unique nutritional and health benefits, such as preventing constipation, optimizing calcium and fatty acid absorption, enhancing bone development, and promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria or the like. The addition of the OPO structured fat is considered one of the latest advances in nutritional foods. It helps better meet the baby’s natural nutritional needs and supports the baby’s healthy growth by mimicking the fat structure of breast milk. In summary, l,3-dioleyl-2 -palmitoyl triglyceride(OPO) has become an important food ingredient due to its similarity to breast milk fat structure and its various health benefits in infant formula.

[0009] In view of this, developing nutritious foods comprising both the egg phospholipid and OPO is a current direction of effort in the field of food processing.

[0010] Currently, emulsion systems containing both egg phospholipids and OPO are a hot research area in nutritional food development. However, the existing OPO nutritional oil emulsions suffer from system stability issues. Specifically, emulsion systems containing OPO generally exhibit poor stability, quickly showing precipitation and delamination after preparation.

[0011] Therefore, it is of great significance to develop a nutritional emulsion that comprises egg phospholipids and OPO while having good system stability.

[0012] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Based on the technical problems described above, the objective of this invention is to provide a nutrient emulsion and the preparation method thereof, wherein the nutrient emulsion comprises both an egg phospholipid and OPO. The nutrient emulsion according to the invention has good system stability and will not appear turbid or delaminate after long-term storage.

[0014] The inventors, through in-depth and meticulous research, have completed this invention.

[0015] Specifically, in one aspect, this invention provides a nutrient emulsion comprising an egg phospholipid, an OPO-containing triglyceride, a raw material oil, and water, wherein: a weight ratio of the egg phospholipid to the OPO-containing triglyceride is in a

[0016] 2

[0017] INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (RULE 20.6) range of 1 :40 to 3 :7; an average particle size D[4,3] of oil droplet particles formed in the nutrient emulsion is in a range of 0.8-1.5 pm; and in the OPO-containing triglyceride, a proportion of a 2-position palmitic acid to the total palmitic acid is at least 52%, and a content of OPO is at least 40 wt%.

[0018] In another aspect, this invention provides a preparation method for the nutrient emulsion comprising an egg phospholipid, an OPO-containing triglyceride, a raw material oil, and water, comprising steps of:

[0019] (1) mixing the egg phospholipid, the OPO-containing triglyceride, the raw material oil and water to obtain a dispersion; and

[0020] (2) subjecting the dispersion to a shearing treatment and a homogenizing treatment in turn, wherein the shearing treatment comprises shearing the dispersion at a rotation speed of 3000-5000 rpm under heating, and the homogenizing treatment comprises homogenizing the sheared dispersion under a pressure of 300-400 bar under heating.

[0021] Compared with the existing technologies in the field, the advantages of this invention are as follows:

[0022] 1. Improved System Stability: this invention significantly improves the stability of OPO nutritional oil emulsions comprising an egg phospholipid by controlling the compositions and preparation process of the nutrient emulsion, solving the problem of emulsion delamination in existing technologies.

[0023] 2. No Solubilizer Required: compared to the existing technologies, the improved emulsion stability of this invention does not rely on the addition of a solubilizer (e.g., hydroxypropyl P-cyclodextrin or the like), making it applicable to a wider range of oil-based mixtures, especially those systems that do not comprise a solubilizer (e.g., hydroxypropyl P-cyclodextrin or the like).

[0024] 3. Optimized Processing Technology: this invention employs specific high-speed shearing and high-pressure homogenization steps, performed under specific temperature and pressure conditions, ensuring the uniformity and stability of the emulsion.

[0025] 4. Expanded application Scope: due to the improved emulsion stability provided by this invention, OPO nutrient emulsions containing an egg phospholipid are more easily

[0026] 3

[0027] INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (RULE 20.6) applied to water-soluble products, thus expanding their application scope in the food processing field.

[0028] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0029] It should be understood that without departing from the scope or spirit of the present disclosure, those skilled in the art can conceive of various other embodiments and can modify them according to the teachings of this specification. Therefore, the following specific embodiments are not restrictive.

[0030] Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers used in the specification and claims to represent feature sizes, quantities and physicochemical properties should be understood as being modified by the term “about” in all cases. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, the numerical parameters listed in the above specification and the attached claims are approximate values, and those skilled in the art can use the teachings disclosed herein to seek to obtain the desired properties and appropriately change these approximate values. The use of numerical ranges expressed as endpoints includes all numbers within the range and any range within the range, for example, 1 to 5 includes 1, 1.1, 1.3, 1.5, 2, 2.75, 3, 3.80, 4 and 5, etc.

[0031] As mentioned earlier, the emulsion systems containing both egg phospholipids and OPO are currently a hot topic in the development of nutritional foods. However, the existing OPO nutritional oil emulsions suffer from stability issues. Specifically, the emulsion systems containing OPO generally exhibit poor stability, quickly showing precipitation and delamination after preparation.

[0032] The inventors of this invention, through systematic research, discovered that by controlling the specific types and contents of each component in the emulsion (e.g., the weight ratio of the egg phospholipid to the OPO-containing triglyceride) and combining it with a specific dispersion process (including high-speed shearing and high-pressure homogenization under specific conditions), a nutrient emulsion containing both an egg phospholipid and l,3-dioleyl-2-palmitoyl triglyceride(OPO) can be obtained, which exhibits good system stability. Unbound by theory, it is speculated that, according to the technical solution of the present invention, the egg phospholipid, acting as an emulsifier in

[0033] 4

[0034] INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (RULE 20.6) conjunction with OPO(1, 3 -dioleyl-2 -palmitoyl triglyceride), form emulsion particles with excellent stability and uniformity. This synergistic effect not only enhances the physical properties of the emulsion but also significantly improves its nutritional value. Specifically, egg phospholipids, with their unique amphiphilic properties, can effectively reduce the tension at the oil-water interface and promote the uniform dispersion of oil droplets. Furthermore, the addition of OPO not only helps form well-dispersible oil droplets, but also promotes efficient absorption of fatty acids by the human body through its unique structure. According to the technical solution of the present invention, by controlling the specific type and content of each component (e.g., the weight ratio of the egg phospholipid to the OPO-containing triglyceride) and combining it with a specific dispersion treatment process (including high-speed shearing and high-pressure homogenization under specific conditions), the oil droplet particles of a specific size can be formed in the nutrient emulsion, with their average particle size D[4;3]controlled within the range of 0.8-1.5 pm. Controlling the average particle size D[4,3] within this size range not only ensures the uniformity of the emulsion system but also improves its stability, thereby extending the shelf life of the product and ensuring the consistency and reliability of the emulsion during application.

[0035] Specifically, according to one aspect of the present invention, there provides a nutrient emulsion comprising an egg phospholipid, an OPO-containing triglyceride, a raw material oil, and water, wherein: a weight ratio of the egg phospholipid to the OPO-containing triglyceride is in a range of 1 :40 to 3 :7; an average particle size D[4,3] of oil droplet particles formed in the nutrient emulsion is in a range of 0.8-1 .5 pm; and in the OPO-containing triglyceride, a proportion of a 2-position palmitic acid to the total palmitic acid is at least 52%, and a content of OPO is at least 40 wt%.

[0036] In this application, unless otherwise specified, the “average particle size D[4;3]” of the oil droplet particles formed in the nutrient emulsion according to the present invention is a statistical parameter used to describe the particle size distribution of the dispersed phase in the emulsion, and has the same concept as that of “average particle size D[4;3]” in the prior art. This parameter is a volume- and surface-area weighted average particle size, also known

[0037] 5

[0038] INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (RULE 20.6) as the De Brouckere mean, which represents the ratio of the volume of all particles in the emulsion to the total surface area. The average particle size D[4,3]of oil droplets can usually be measured by a particle size analyzer, such as laser diffraction or dynamic light scattering.

[0039] It should be noted that the average particle size D[4,3]of the oil droplet particles formed in the nutrient emulsion has a significant impact on the stability and appearance of the emulsion. When the average particle size D[4;3]of the oil droplet particles is less than 0.8 pm, the resulting nutrient emulsion is prone to turbidity or delamination. Unbound by theory, it is speculated that smaller oil droplets (average particle size D[4;3]less than 0.8 pm) imply a larger total surface area, leading to increased tension at the oil-water interface. Because the emulsifier is insufficient to cover these interfaces, the stability of the emulsion decreases, and oil droplets may aggregate, leading to turbidity or delamination. On the other hand, when the average particle size D[4;3] of the oil droplet particles is greater than 1.5 pm, the resulting nutrient emulsion will also exhibit turbidity or delamination. Unbound by theory, it is speculated that larger oil droplet particles, due to their greater mass and volume, are more significantly affected by gravity, leading to faster settling velocities. This could cause emulsion delamination. In addition, the increase in the size of oil droplet particles enhances the van der Waals forces between the particles. This attraction may cause the oil droplet particles to aggregate, forming larger clumps, which in turn leads to emulsion turbidity or delamination.

[0040] Preferably, in order to further improve the system stability of the prepared nutrient emulsion, the particle size D50of the oil droplet particles formed in the nutrient emulsion is less than 1.5 pm.

[0041] In this application, unless otherwise specified, the particle size D50of the oil droplet particles formed in the nutrient emulsion according to the present invention has the same concept as that of “particle size D50” in the prior art. In other words, “particle size D50”, also known as median particle size or volume median diameter, is an important parameter describing the particle size distribution in an emulsion. It indicates that in an emulsion, 50% of the particles are smaller than this size, while the other 50% are larger than this size. The “particle size D50” of oil droplet particles can usually be measured using a particle size analyzer, such as laser diffraction or dynamic light scattering.

[0042] 6

[0043] INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (RULE 20.6) Preferably, in order to further improve the system stability of the prepared nutrient emulsion, the particle size D90of the oil droplet particles formed in the nutrient emulsion is less than 2.5 pm.

[0044] In this application, unless otherwise specified, the particle size D90of the oil droplet particles formed in the nutrient emulsion according to the present invention has the same concept as that of “particle size D90” in the prior art. In other words, “particle size D90”, also known as the 90th percentile particle size of the volume distribution, is a key parameter describing the particle size distribution in an emulsion. This indicates that in the emulsion, 90% of the particles are smaller than this size, while the remaining 10% are larger than this size. The “particle size D90” of oil droplets can typically be measured using a particle size analyzer, such as laser diffraction or dynamic light scattering.

[0045] According to the technical solution of the present invention, the weight ratio of egg phospholipid to the OPO-containing triglyceride is in the range of 1 :40 to 3 :7. When the weight ratio of egg phospholipid to the OPO-containing triglyceride is less than 1 :40, the amount of egg phospholipid as an emulsifier is too small to fully stabilize the OPO-containing oil phase system, resulting in delamination and preventing the formation of a nutrient emulsion with an average droplet particle size D[4; 3]in the range of 0.8-1.5 pm. On the other hand, when the weight ratio of egg phospholipid to the OPO-containing triglyceride is greater than 3 :7, the excessive amount of egg phospholipid as an emulsifier may exceed the requirements of the oil-water interface. This can lead to the formation of multiple layers of emulsifier on the oil droplet surface, increasing the droplet size and preventing the formation of a nutrient emulsion with an average droplet particle size D[4;3] in the range of 0.8-1.5 pm. Furthermore, the efficiency of emulsifiers may decrease with increasing concentration; excessive emulsifier will not proportionally increase emulsion stability and may instead lead to larger emulsion particles. As a negative consequence, the emulsion may separate into layers after prolonged storage.

[0046] According to the technical solution of the present invention, in order to form oil droplet particles of the desired particle size range in the nutrient emulsion to obtain a nutrient emulsion with good system stability, the weight ratio of the egg phospholipid to the OPO-containing triglyceride is preferably in the range of 1 :40 to 1 :3, more preferably 1 :20

[0047] 7

[0048] INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (RULE 20.6) to 1 : 15.

[0049] To achieve a good combination of egg phospholipid and OPO, the sum of the weights of the egg phospholipid and the OPO-containing triglyceride accounts for 8-30%, preferably 8-20%, and more preferably 8-10% of the total weight of the nutrient emulsion.

[0050] Preferably, in order to better form oil droplet particles with the desired average particle size, the water accounts for 80% or more of the total weight of the nutrient emulsion, more preferably 80-90% of the total weight of the nutrient emulsion.

[0051] Preferably, in order to better form oil droplet particles with the desired average particle size, the sum of the weights of the egg phospholipid, the OPO-containing triglyceride, and the raw material oil accounts for 10-20% of the total weight of the nutritional emulsion.

[0052] The nutrient emulsion according to the present invention, in addition to egg phospholipid and OPO-containing triglyceride, further comprises a raw material oil. This raw material oil can not only improve the nutrient composition distribution of the nutrient emulsion, but also improve the system stability of the nutrient emulsion. There are no particular limitations on the specific types of raw material oils that can be used in this invention. Preferably, the raw material oil is selected from one or more of vegetable oils or animal oils. More preferably, the raw material oil is one or more selected from a group consisting of sunflower oil (including high oleic sunflower oil), medium chain triglycerides, coconut oil, flaxseed oil, anhydrous butter, palm kernel oil, DHA algae oil, fish oil, walnut oil, camellia oil, perilla seed oil, sea buckthorn seed oil, avocado oil, wheat germ oil, black currant seed oil, borage oil, eucommia seed oil, evening primrose oil, soybean oil, rapeseed oil (including low erucic acid rapeseed oil), corn oil, peanut oil, safflower seed oil, palm oil, rice bran oil, sesame oil, gamma-linolenic acid oil, tomato seed oil, peony seed oil, krill oil, maple seed oil, sacha inchi oil, milk thistle seed oil, conjugated linoleic acid, and shea butter or the like. More preferably, the sunflower oil is high oleic sunflower oil (HOSO). Preferably, the sunflower oil is high oleic sunflower oil.

[0053] According to certain embodiments of the present invention, the water used to form the nutrient emulsion of the present invention is preferably purified water. Purified water removes ionic impurities such as calcium, magnesium, and sodium, reducing the number of

[0054] 8

[0055] INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (RULE 20.6) ions that may react with emulsifiers or other components, thus avoiding potential interference with emulsion stability and emulsification. The presence of ions can affect the adsorption and arrangement of emulsifiers at the oil-water interface. Using purified water helps maintain the stability of the emulsifiers, thereby improving the overall stability of the emulsion. Ionic impurities in nutrient emulsions can affect the product's shelf life and quality. Using purified water ensures product quality and avoids spoilage or changes in taste caused by ions. More preferably, the water used to form the nutritional emulsion of this invention is deionized water.

[0056] Preferably, the nutrient emulsion according to the invention may comprise a phospholipid-bound arachidonic acid (ARA) and a phospholipid-bound docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). For example, the nutrient emulsion according to the invention may contain 0.016 to 0.064 g / 100 g, preferably 0.032 to 0.064 g / 100 g, such as 0.032 to 0.06 g / 100 g of the phospholipid-bound ARA, and / or the nutrient emulsion according to the invention may contain 0.008 to 0.032 g / 100 g, preferably 0.016 to 0.032 g / 100 g, such as 0.02 to 0.03 g / 100 g of the phospholipid-bound DHA.

[0057] There are no particular limitations on the egg phospholipids that can be used in this invention, and they can be obtained through conventional commercial means. Preferably, the egg phospholipids are egg phospholipids with a phospholipid content of >75%. The egg phospholipids comprises phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), sphingomyelin (SM), and lysophospholipids (LPC+LPE), and the like.

[0058] Preferably, the egg phospholipid comprises 55-82% by weight of phosphatidylcholine (PC), 11-20% by weight of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), 2-4% by weight of sphingomyelin (SM), and 2-9% by weight of lysophospholipids, wherein the lysophospholipids comprise lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) and lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE). Preferably, the egg phospholipid further comprise 1-3% by weight of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and 2-4% by weight of arachidonic acid (ARA).

[0059] Alternatively, a specific example of egg phospholipids includes ELIP 3020 from AAK AB (publ), a blend of egg phospholipid and high oleic sunflower oil in a mass ratio of approximately 1 :1. This ELIP 3020 product comprises a phospholipid-bound DHA and a phospholipid-bound ARA, among other things.

[0060] 9

[0061] INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (RULE 20.6) There are no particular limitations on the OPO-containing triglycerides that can be used in this invention; they can be obtained through conventional commercial routes or synthesized via traditional esterification reactions. Esterification is the process by which glycerol reacts with fatty acids in the presence of an acidic or basic catalyst to form triglycerides. Besides esterification, transesterification can also be used to prepare OPO-structured esters. Transesterification involves existing triglycerides and free fatty acids, adjusting the position of the fatty acid on the triglyceride molecule in the presence of a specific catalyst (usually an enzyme). The choice of catalyst is crucial in esterification and transesterification reactions. Esterification can be carried out using acidic or basic catalysts, while transesterification typically requires more specific enzyme catalysts.

[0062] Preferably, the OPO-containing triglyceride that can be used in this invention are a fraction of a transesterification product obtained from vegetable oils (e.g., palm oil) and oleic acid via a 1,3-position selective transesterification reaction. Preferably, in the OPO-containing triglyceride that can be used in this invention, a proportion of a 2-position palmitic acid to the total palmitic acid is at least 52%, and a content of OPO is at least 40 wt%. The OPO-containing triglyceride is commercially available as a food fortifier. The physicochemical properties of the OPO-containing triglyceride meet the requirements of the Chinese National Food Safety Standard GB 30604-2015. Specifically, the OPO-containing triglyceride that can be used in the present invention is l,3-dioleyl-2-palmitoyl triglyceride (product name: INFAT C250) produced by AAK Zhangjiagang Ltd.

[0063] In addition to the components mentioned above, one or more additives conventionally used in the field of nutrient emulsions may be added to the method according to the present invention for preparing a nutrient emulsion comprising an egg phospholipid and 1,3 -dioleyl-2 -palmitoyl triglyceride, as long as they do not affect the formation of oil droplet particles with the average particle size D[4;3] in a range of 0.8-1.5 pm in the mixing system of the egg phospholipid, the OPO-containing triglyceride, the raw material oil, and water. Specific examples of the one or more additives that may be used include: antioxidants, including but not limited to vitamin E (mixed tocopherols), AP (ascorbyl palmitate), BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole), BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene), or the like; emulsifiers, including but not limited to caprylic / capric triglycerides, or the like; nutritional fortifiers,

[0064] 10

[0065] INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (RULE 20.6) including but not limited to vitamin A, vitamin D, DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), or the like; stabilizers, including but not limited to EDTA, or the like; preservatives, including but not limited to nisin, or the like; and functional ingredients, including but not limited to oligosaccharides, or the like.

[0066] According to another aspect of the present invention, there provides a preparation method for the above nutrient emulsion, comprising steps of:

[0067] (1) mixing the egg phospholipid, the OPO-containing triglyceride, the raw material oil and water to obtain a dispersion; and

[0068] (2) subjecting the dispersion to a shearing treatment and a homogenizing treatment in turn, wherein the shearing treatment comprises shearing the dispersion at a rotation speed of 3000-5000 rpm under heating, and the homogenizing treatment comprises homogenizing the sheared dispersion under a pressure of 300-400 bar under heating.

[0069] The inventors of this invention discovered in their research that by controlling the specific types and contents of each component in the emulsion and, in particular, employing specific dispersion processing techniques (including high-speed shearing and high-pressure homogenization under specific conditions), a nutrient emulsion comprising egg phospholipids and l,3-dioleyl-2 -palmitoyl triglyceride(OPO) while exhibiting good system stability can be obtained.

[0070] The inventors of this invention have discovered that specific dispersion processes (including high-speed shearing and high-pressure homogenization under specific conditions) are crucial for obtaining nutrient emulsions containing egg phospholipids and OPO with good stability. Unbound by theory, it is hypothesized that high-speed shearing treatment and high-pressure homogenizing treatment can significantly improve emulsification, resulting in more uniform oil droplet dispersion and the formation of finer oil droplet particles, which contributes to improved emulsion stability. Furthermore, by specifically selecting the process conditions of high-speed shearing treatment and homogenizing treatment, the tension at the oil-water interface can be reduced physically, making oil droplets easier to disperse in water and promoting the formation of oil-in-water (W / O) emulsions. The egg phospholipid, as an emulsifier, can be more evenly distributed at the oil-water interface under high-speed shearing and high-pressure homogenization, thus improving its

[0071] 11

[0072] INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (RULE 20.6) emulsification efficiency.

[0073] Specifically, in step (2) of the method according to the invention, emulsification and dispersion are achieved by applying shear force. There are no particular limitations on the specific type of apparatus used for the shearing process; common shearing apparatuses used in conventional oil and fat processing can be selected. Preferably, high-speed shear tanks, high-shear emulsifiers, colloid mills, or homogenizers can be used.

[0074] According to certain embodiments of the present invention, in step (2), the shearing treatment includes shearing the dispersion at a rotational speed of 3000-5000 rpm under heating. When the rotational speed used for the shearing treatment is less than 3000 rpm, a small amount of precipitation appears in the resulting egg phospholipid-OPO emulsion system, and delamination occurs after a long period of standing. On the other hand, when the rotational speed used for the shearing treatment is greater than 5000 rpm, a small amount of precipitation also appears in the resulting egg phospholipid-OPO emulsion system. It is speculated that this is because the excessively high shear rate causes the oil droplet particles in the emulsion system to be subjected to excessive shearing, thereby destroying the stability of the oil droplets, causing the oil droplets to aggregate or merge, forming larger particles, and eventually causing precipitation.

[0075] According to certain embodiments of the present invention, the shearing treatment is performed under heating conditions. Preferably, in step (2), to improve the emulsification effect of the egg phospholipid, the OPO-containing triglyceride, the raw material oil, and water, the shearing treatment is performed in a temperature range of 55°C-70°C. Preferably, in step (2), to improve the emulsification effect of the egg phospholipid, the OPO-containing triglyceride, the raw material oil, and water, the shearing treatment is performed for 3-5 minutes.

[0076] Specifically, in the homogenizing treatment of step (2) of the method according to the invention, larger droplets in the oil are broken into smaller droplets by applying higher shear force, thereby reducing the average droplet size in the emulsion. There are no particular limitations on the specific type of apparatus used for homogenizing treatment; common homogenizing apparatuses used in conventional oil and fat food processing can be selected. Preferably, a high-pressure homogenizer, or the like, can be used.

[0077] 12

[0078] INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (RULE 20.6) According to certain embodiments of the present invention, in step (2), the homogenizing treatment includes homogenizing the sheared dispersion under heating at a pressure of 300-400 bar. When the pressure used for the homogenizing treatment is less than 300 bar, the resulting egg phospholipid-OPO emulsion system quickly exhibits a large amount of precipitation and delamination; when the pressure used for homogenizing treatment is greater than 400 bar, a small amount of precipitation also appears in the resulting egg phospholipid-OPO emulsion system (and even a larger amount of precipitation in some formulations), and the egg phospholipid cannot be completely dispersed. Unbound by theory, it is speculated that excessively high pressure during high-pressure the homogenizing treatment can lead to excessive refinement of oil droplets, and may even destroy the oil droplet structure, causing oil droplet aggregation or merging, forming larger particles that precipitate.

[0079] According to certain embodiments of the present invention, the homogenizing treatment is carried out under heating conditions. Preferably, in step (2), to improve the emulsification effect of the egg phospholipid, the OPO-containing triglyceride, the raw material oil, and water, the homogenizing treatment is carried out in a temperature range of 55°C-70°C. Preferably, in step (2), to improve the emulsification effect of the egg phospholipid, the OPO-containing triglyceride, the raw material oil, and water, the homogenizing treatment is performed for 5-10 minutes.

[0080] According to certain embodiments of the present invention, to further improve the miscibility of the egg phospholipid and the OPO-containing triglyceride, in step (1), the egg phospholipid and the raw material oil can be mixed first to obtain a premix, and then the premix can be mixed with the OPO-containing triglyceride and water to obtain the dispersion for step (2). Preferably, the raw material oil comprises sunflower seed oil. More preferably, to further improve the emulsifying effect of the egg phospholipid, the OPO-containing triglyceride, the raw material oil, and water, the raw material oil comprises high oleic sunflower oil.

[0081] The following specific embodiments are intended to illustrate the present disclosure by way of example and not by way of limitation.

[0082] Specific embodiment 1 is a nutrient emulsion comprising an egg phospholipid, an

[0083] 13

[0084] INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (RULE 20.6) OPO-containing triglyceride, a raw material oil, and water, wherein: a weight ratio of the egg phospholipid to the OPO-containing triglyceride is in a range of 1 :40 to 3 :7; an average particle size D[4;3] of oil droplet particles formed in the nutrient emulsion is in a range of 0.8-1.5 pm; and in the OPO-containing triglyceride, a proportion of a 2-position palmitic acid to the total palmitic acid is at least 52%, and a content of OPO is at least 40 wt%.

[0085] Specific embodiment 2 is the nutrient emulsion according to Specific embodiment 1, wherein the oil droplet particles formed in the nutrient emulsion have a particle size D50less than 1.5 pm.

[0086] Specific embodiment 3 is the nutrient emulsion according to Specific embodiment 1, wherein oil droplet particles formed in the nutrient emulsion have a particle size D90less than 2.5 pm.

[0087] Specific embodiment 4 is the nutrient emulsion according to Specific embodiment 1, wherein the weight ratio of the egg phospholipid to the OPO-containing triglyceride is in a range of 1 :40 to 1 :3.

[0088] Specific embodiment 5 is the nutrient emulsion according to Specific embodiment 1, wherein the weight ratio of the egg phospholipid to the OPO-containing triglyceride is in a range of 1 :20 to 1 :15.

[0089] Specific embodiment 6 is the nutrient emulsion according to Specific embodiment 1, wherein a sum of the weights of the egg phospholipid and the OPO-containing triglyceride accounts for 8-30% of the total weight of the nutrient emulsion.

[0090] Specific embodiment 7 is the nutrient emulsion according to Specific embodiment 1, wherein a sum of the weights of the egg phospholipid and the OPO-containing triglyceride accounts for 8-20% of the total weight of the nutrient emulsion.

[0091] Specific embodiment 8 is the nutrient emulsion according to Specific embodiment 1, wherein the weight of water accounts for 80% or more of the total weight of the nutrient emulsion.

[0092] Specific embodiment 9 is the nutrient emulsion according to Specific embodiment 1, wherein the weight of water accounts for 80-90% of the total weight of the nutrient

[0093] 14

[0094] INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (RULE 20.6) emulsion.

[0095] Specific embodiment 10 is the nutrient emulsion according to Specific embodiment 1, wherein a sum of the weights of the egg phospholipid, the OPO-containing triglyceride and the raw material oil accounts for 10-20% of the total weight of the nutrient emulsion.

[0096] Specific embodiment 11 is the nutrient emulsion according to Specific embodiment 1, wherein the OPO is l,3-dioleyl-2 -palmitoyl triglyceride.

[0097] Specific embodiment 12 is the nutrient emulsion according to Specific embodiment 1, wherein the egg phospholipid comprises 55-82 wt% of phosphatidylcholine (PC), 11-20 wt% of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), 2 wt% of sphingomyelin (SM), and 2-9 wt% of lysophospholipids, said lysophospholipids comprise lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) and lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE).

[0098] Specific embodiment 13 is the nutrient emulsion according to Specific embodiment 1, wherein the egg phospholipid further comprise 1-3 wt% of DHA and 2-4 wt% of ARA.

[0099] Specific embodiment 14 is the nutrient emulsion according to Specific embodiment 1, wherein the raw material oil is selected from one or more of a vegetable oil or an animal oil.

[0100] Specific embodiment 15 is the nutrient emulsion according to Specific embodiment 1, wherein the raw material oil is one or more selected from a group consisting of sunflower oil, medium chain triglycerides, coconut oil, flaxseed oil, anhydrous butter, palm kernel oil, DHA algae oil, fish oil, walnut oil, camellia oil, perilla seed oil, sea buckthorn seed oil, avocado oil, wheat germ oil, black currant seed oil, borage oil, eucommia seed oil, evening primrose oil, soybean oil, rapeseed oil, com oil, peanut oil, safflower seed oil, palm oil, rice bran oil, sesame oil, gamma-linolenic acid oil, tomato seed oil, peony seed oil, krill oil, maple seed oil, sacha inchi oil, milk thistle seed oil, conjugated linoleic acid, and shea butter.

[0101] Specific embodiment 16 is the nutrient emulsion according to Specific embodiment 1, wherein the sunflower oil is high oleic sunflower oil.

[0102] Specific embodiment 17 is the nutrient emulsion according to Specific embodiment 1, wherein the nutrient emulsion comprises a phospholipid-bound arachidonic acid (ARA) and a phospholipid-bound docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

[0103] 15

[0104] INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (RULE 20.6) Specific embodiment 18 is a preparation method for the nutrient emulsion according to any one of specific embodiments 1-17, comprising steps of

[0105] (1) mixing the egg phospholipid, the OPO-containing triglyceride, the raw material oil and water to obtain a dispersion; and

[0106] (2) subjecting the dispersion to a shearing treatment and a homogenizing treatment in turn, wherein the shearing treatment comprises shearing the dispersion at a rotation speed of 3000-5000 rpm under heating, and the homogenizing treatment comprises homogenizing the sheared dispersion under a pressure of 300-400 bar under heating.

[0107] Specific embodiment 19 is the method according to specific embodiment 18, wherein in step (2), the shearing process is performed at a temperature in a range of 55 °C to 70°C.

[0108] Specific embodiment 20 is the method according to specific embodiment 18, wherein in step (2), the shearing process is performed for 3-5 minutes.

[0109] Specific embodiment 21 is the method according to specific embodiment 18, wherein in step (2), the homogenizing treatment is performed at a temperature in a range of 55°C to 70°C.

[0110] Specific embodiment 22 is the method according to specific embodiment 18, wherein in step (2), the homogenizing treatment is performed for 5-10 minutes.

[0111] Specific embodiment 23 is the method according to specific embodiment 18, wherein step (1) comprises: mixing the egg phospholipid and the raw material oil to obtain a premix, and then mixing the premix with the OPO-containing triglyceride and water to obtain the dispersion.

[0112] Specific embodiment 24 is the method according to specific embodiment 18, wherein the raw material oil comprises high oleic sunflower oil.

[0113] The present invention is described in more detail below with reference to the examples. It should be noted that these descriptions and examples are intended to facilitate the understanding of the present invention, rather than to limit the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention shall be subject to the attached claims.

[0114] 16

[0115] INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (RULE 20.6) Examples

[0116] In the present invention, unless otherwise specified, the reagents used are commercial products and are used directly without further purification.

[0117] Table 1 List of raw materials

[0118] Table 2 Faty Acid Compositions of the OPO-Containing Triglyceride

[0119] Testing Methods

[0120] The stability of the nutrient emulsions prepared in the following examples and comparative examples was tested according to the test methods described in detail below.

[0121] 17

[0122] INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (RULE 20.6) Test on Stability

[0123] 300g of the nutrient emulsion prepared in each of the following examples and comparative examples was taken and added to a 500 mL beaker. The sample was kept at room temperature in the dark for 24 hours, and then its uniformity was judged by observing the appearance of the sample.

[0124] The observation data came from ten reviewers in the field of nutrient emulsion production. They visually observed the appearance of the samples and scored them based on the following criteria:

[0125] Points 9-10: completely mixed and uniform;

[0126] Points 7-8: mostly completely mixed and uniform;

[0127] Points 5-6: a small amount of precipitation;

[0128] Points 3-4: a lot of precipitation; and

[0129] Points 1-2: complete delamination.

[0130] Finally, the average score of the ten reviewers was used as the evaluation score of the sample. Due to the presence of precipitation in the sample, samples with a score below Point 7 are not suitable for use as nutrient emulsion products.

[0131] Example 1 (El)

[0132] One part by weight of ELIP 3020, 19 parts by weight of the OPO-containing triglyceride, and 80 parts by weight of purified water were simultaneously added to a high-speed shear tank (model T50D, IKA GmbH, Germany) and dispersed by high-speed shearing at 3000 rpm for 3 minutes at 70°C. The dispersion, after high-speed shearing treatment, was then transferred to a high-pressure homogenizer (PANDA PLUS 2000H, GEA GmbH, Germany) and homogenized for 5 minutes at 55 °C and 300 bar to obtain nutrient emulsion 1.

[0133] The particle size of the oil droplets formed in the nutrient emulsion 1 was determined by using a multi-source laser diffraction method with a particle size analyzer (Mastersizer 3000, Malvern). The oil droplets formed in the nutrient emulsion 1 had an average particle size D[4;3] of 1.312 pm, a particle size D50of 1 .217 pm, and a particle size D90of 2.230 pm.

[0134] 18

[0135] INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (RULE 20.6) The stability of nutrient emulsion 1 was tested according to the method described in detail in the above test method section. The results of the stability test are shown in Table 3 below.

[0136] Examples 2-7 (E2-E7) and Comparative Examples 1-12 (CE1-CE12)

[0137] Examples 2-7 (E2-E7) and Comparative Examples 1-12 (CE1-CE12) were performed in a manner similar to that of Example 1, except that the types and proportions of the raw materials, the shearing process conditions, and the homogenization process conditions were changed as described in Table 3 to prepare nutrient emulsions 2-7 and comparative nutrient emulsions 1-12.

[0138] The particle size distribution of the nutrient emulsions prepared in the above examples and comparative examples was measured by using a multi-source laser diffraction method with a particle size analyzer (Mastersizer 3000, Malvern) in the same manner as described in Example 1, and the results are shown in Table 3 below. It should be noted that if significant delamination occurs in the prepared nutrient emulsion, the particle size analysis described above will not be performed; instead, the corresponding section in Table 3 will simply indicate “delamination”.

[0139] In addition, based on the stability methods described in detail in the above test methods, stability tests were conducted on nutritional emulsions 2-7 and comparative nutritional emulsions 1-12. The results for the emulsions are shown in Table 3 below.

[0140] 19

[0141] INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (RULE 20.6) Table 3. Types and proportions of raw materials, processing conditions, and stability test results of nutritional emulsions for

[0142] Examples 1-7 (E1-E7) and Comparative Examples 1-12 (CE1-CE12).

[0143]

[0144] Note: In Table 3, the symbol indicates that delamination occurred during the preparation of this comparative example, and therefore no subsequent uniformity test was performed.

[0145] As shown in Table 3 above, when the compositions and contents of the nutritional emulsion were controlled according to the technical solution of the present invention (i.e., the weight ratio of the egg phospholipid to the OPO-containing triglyceride was in the range of 1 :40 to 3 :7) and the nutritional emulsion was prepared according to specific processing conditions (i.e., the dispersion was subjected to shearing treatment and homogenizing treatment sequentially, wherein the shearing treatment was performed at a rotation speed of 3000-5000 rpm under heating, and the homogenizing treatment was performed under a pressure of 300-400 bar under heating), oil droplet particles with a specific particle size (i.e., the average particle size D[4,3] is in the range of 0.8-1.5 pm) were formed in the obtained nutritional emulsion, resulting in good system stability of the nutritional emulsion.

[0146] Comparing the results of Example 1 (El) with Comparative Example 1 (CE1), it was found that when the weight ratio of the egg phospholipid to the OPO-containing triglyceride was too small (e.g., in CE1, this ratio was less than 1 :40), the amount of egg phospholipid as an emulsifier was too small, failing to completely stabilize the oil phase system containing OPO, resulting in delamination.

[0147] By comparing the results of Example 5 (E5) with those of Comparative Example 10 (CE10), it can be seen that when the weight ratio of the egg phospholipid to the OPO-containing triglyceride was too large (for example, in CE10, the ratio is 1 :2, which is greater than 3 :7), the average particle size D[4;3] of the oil droplet particles formed in the nutrient emulsion greatly exceeds 1.5 pm, resulting in a less stable system and partial precipitation of the emulsion after 10 days of standing.

[0148] Although specific embodiments have been shown and described in the present invention, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various alternative and / or equivalent embodiments may be used to replace the specific embodiments shown and described without departing from the scope of the present invention. The present application is intended to include any improvements or changes to the specific embodiments discussed in the present invention. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Such modifications and changes are intended to fall within the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

[0149] 22

[0150] INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (RULE 20.6) I n s t r u c t i o n s

[0151] Nutrient emulsion and preparation method thereof

[0152] Technical field

[0153] The present invention relates to the field of food processing technology, specifically, the present invention provides a nutrient emulsion containing egg yolk phospholipid and 1,3-dioleic acid-2-palmitic acid triglyceride (OPO) and preparation method thereof.

[0154] Background technology

[0155] Egg yolk phospholipids, also known as lecithin, are a natural mixture of phospholipids present in egg yolks that have the properties of amphiphilic molecules, i.e., hydrophilic at one end (heads containing nitrogen or phosphorus) and hydrophobic at the other end (long hydrocarbon chains that are lipophilic). Egg yolk phospholipids have important physiological functions and application value in edible oils. Specifically, egg yolk phospholipids have physiological activities such as antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, nervous, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular protection. It can improve fat metabolism, protect the retina, and strengthen the brain. In addition, egg yolk lecithin can alleviate blood coagulation, clarify blood lipids, and avoid the hardening of arterial vascular membranes, preventing arteriosclerosis, myocardial infarction and cerebral hemorrhage. Choline in egg yolk lecithin is a precursor to the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which can improve memory and learning abilities. In addition, egg yolk lecithin can promote the synthesis and regeneration of lipoproteins, improve alcoholic liver disorders, and protect the membranes of liver mitochondria, microsomes and lysosomes from damage. In conclusion, egg yolk phospholipids are regarded as a natural resource with high added value due to their versatility and wide application in the food industry. In edible oil, it can not only enhance the nutritional value of food, but also enhance the flavor and taste of food, which is of great significance for promoting health and improving food quality.

[0156] 23

[0157] ERRONEOUSLY FILED (RULE 20.5bis) On the other hand, 1,3-dioleic acid-2 -palmitic acid triglyceride (OPO) is a structured fat characterized by its palmitic acid being mainly located at the sn-2 position of the triglycerides, while unsaturated fatty acids such as oleic acid are mainly located at the sn-1 and sn-3 positions, which is similar to the structure of natural fats in breast milk. OPO structural lipids offer a variety of unique nutritional and health benefits, such as preventing constipation, improving calcium and fatty acid absorption, enhancing bone development, and promoting the growth of beneficial microflora. The addition of OPO structural lipids is considered to be one of the latest advances in nutritional foods, which can help better meet the baby's natural nutritional needs and support the healthy growth of the baby by mimicking the fat structure of breast milk. In summary, 1,3-dioleic acid-2-palmitic acid triglyceride (OPO) has become an important food ingredient due to its similarity with the fat structure of breast milk and the multiple health benefits in infant formula.

[0158] In view of this, the development of nutritious foods that contain both egg yolk phospholipids and OPO is a current effort in the field of food processing.

[0159] At present, emulsion systems containing both egg yolk phospholipids and OPO are a hot topic in the development of nutritional foods. However, there are problems in the stability of OPO nutrient oil emulsion in the existing art. Specifically, emulsion systems containing OPO are generally less stable, and precipitation and stratification occur quickly after preparation.

[0160] Therefore, it is of great significance to develop a nutrient emulsion that contains egg yolk phospholipids and OPO while having good system stability.

[0161] Contents of the invention

[0162] Proceeding from the above-mentioned technical problem, the object of the present invention is to provide a nutrient emulsion and a preparation method thereof, wherein the nutrient emulsion comprises egg yolk phospholipid and OPO simultaneously. According to the invention, the nutrient emulsion has good system stability and will not appear turbid or delaminate after long-term storage.

[0163] 24

[0164] ERRONEOUSLY FILED (RULE 20.5bis) The present inventor has completed the present invention after in-depth and meticulous research.

[0165] Specifically, in one aspect, the invention provides a nutrient emulsion comprising egg yolk phospholipids, containing OPO triglycerides, raw oil and water, wherein: the weight ratio of described egg yolk phospholipid to described OPO-containing triglyceride is in the range of 1 :40 to 3:7;

[0166] The average particle size D [4,3] of the oil droplet particles formed in the nutrient emulsion WaS Hl the range of 0.8- 1.5 pm; and

[0167] In the OPO-containing triglycerides, 2-palmitic acid accounts for at least 52% of the total palmitic acid, and the content of OPO is at least 40% by weight.

[0168] In another aspect, the invention provides a method for preparing a nutrient emulsion, the nutrient emulsion comprises egg yolk phospholipids, contains OPO triglycerides, raw oil and water, and the method comprises the following steps:

[0169] (1) mixing the egg yolk phospholipid, the OPO-containing triglycerides, and the raw material oil with water to obtain a dispersion; with

[0170] (2) the dispersion is sequentially sheared and homogenized, wherein the shearing treatment comprises shearing the dispersion at a rotational speed of 3000-5000 rpm under heating, and the homogenization treatment comprises homogenizing the sheared dispersion under a pressure of 300-400 bar under heating.

[0171] Compared with the prior art in the art, the advantages of the present invention are that:

[0172] 1. System stability improvement: The present invention significantly improves the stability of OPO nutrient oil emulsion containing egg yolk phospholipids by controlling the composition of nutrient emulsion and its preparation process, and solves the problem of emulsion stratification in the prior art.

[0173] 2. No need to add solubilizer: Compared with the prior art, the emulsion

[0174] 25

[0175] ERRONEOUSLY FILED (RULE 20.5bis) stability improvement of the present invention does not need to rely on the addition of solubilizers (e.g., hydroxypropyl -cyclodextrin, etc.), which makes the present invention suitable for a wider range of oil mixing systems, especially those systems that do not contain solubilizers (e.g., hydroxypropyl 3 -cyclodextrin, etc.).

[0176] 3. Optimized processing technology: The invention adopts specific high-speed shearing and high-pressure homogenization processing steps, which are carried out under specific temperature and pressure conditions, ensuring the uniformity and stability of the emulsion.

[0177] 4. Broadening the scope of application: due to the improvement of the stability of the emulsion provided by the present invention, the OPO nutrient emulsion containing egg yolk phospholipids is more easily applied to water-soluble products, and its application range in the field of food processing has been broadened.

[0178] The specific embodiment

[0179] It should be understood that, without departing from the scope or spirit of this disclosure, a person skilled in the art is able to envisage various other embodiments and modify them in accordance with the teachings of this specification. Therefore, the following specific embodiments are not restrictive.

[0180] Unless otherwise indicated, all figures used in this specification and claims indicating the size, number and physicochemical properties of features should be understood to be modified in all cases by the term "approximately". Therefore, unless otherwise stated, the numerical parameters listed in the above description and the attached claims are approximate values, and those skilled in the art can appropriately alter these approximations by using the required characteristics sought to obtain by virtue of the teachings disclosed herein. The use of numeric ranges represented by endpoints includes all numbers in that range and any range in that range, e.g., 1 to 5 includes 1, 1.1, 1.3, 1.5, 2, 2.75, 3, 3.80, 4, 5, and so on.

[0181] As mentioned earlier, at present, emulsion systems containing both egg yolk phospholipids and OPO are a hot direction in the development of nutritional foods. However, there are problems in the stability of OPO nutrient oil emulsion in the

[0182] 26

[0183] ERRONEOUSLY FILED (RULE 20.5bis) existing art. Specifically, emulsion systems containing OPO are generally less stable, and precipitation and stratification occur quickly after preparation.

[0184] The inventor of the present invention has found through systematic research that by controlling the specific type and content of each component in the emulsion (for example, the weight ratio of the egg yolk phospholipid to the OPO -containing triglycerides) and combining with a specific dispersion process (including high-speed shearing treatment and high-pressure homogenization treatment under specific conditions), a nutrient emulsion containing egg yolk phospholipids and 1,3 -di oleic acid-2-palmitic acid triglyceride (OPO) can be obtained while having good system stability. Not bound by theory, it is speculated that according to the technical scheme of the present invention, egg yolk phospholipid is used as an emulsifier to work together with OPO (1,3 -dioleic acid-2-palmitic acid triglyceride) to form emulsion particles with excellent stability and uniformity. This synergistic effect not only enhances the physical properties of the emulsion, but also significantly increases its nutritional value. Specifically, egg yolk phospholipids, with their unique amphiphilic properties, can effectively reduce the tension at the oil-water interface and promote the uniform dispersion of oil droplets. In addition, the addition of OPO not only helps to form oil droplets with good dispersion, but also promotes the efficient absorption of fatty acids by the human body through its unique structure. According to the technical scheme of the present invention, oil droplet particles with a specific size can be formed in the nutrient emulsion with an average particle size D by controlling the specific type and content of each component (e.g., the weight ratio of the egg yolk phospholipid to the OPO-containing triglycerides) and combining it with a specific dispersion process (including high-speed shearing treatment and high-pressure homogenization treatment under specific conditions). It is controlled in the range of 0.8-1.5 p m. The control of the average particle size D [4,3] of this size range not only ensures the uniformity of the emulsion system, but also improves its stability, thereby extending the shelf life of the product while ensuring consistency and reliability during application of the emulsion.

[0185] 27

[0186] ERRONEOUSLY FILED (RULE 20.5bis) Specifically, according to an aspect of the present invention, a nutrient emulsion is provided, and the nutrient emulsion comprises egg yolk phospholipids, contains OPO triglycerides, raw oil and water, wherein: the weight ratio of described egg yolk phospholipid to described OPO-containing triglyceride is in the range of 1 :40 to 3:7;

[0187] The average particle size D [4,3] of the oil droplet particles formed in the nutrient emulsion WaS Hl the range of 0.8- 1.5 pm; and

[0188] In the OPO-containing triglycerides, 2-palmitic acid accounts for at least 52% of the total palmitic acid, and the content of OPO is at least 40% by weight.

[0189] In the present application, unless otherwise specified, the "average particle size D[4 of the oil droplet particles formed in the nutrient emulsion of the present invention IS a Statistical parameter used to describe the size distribution of dispersed phase particles in the emulsion, which has the same characteristics as in the prior art regarding the "average particle size D[4,3]". This parameter is based on the weighted average particle size of volume and surface area, also known as De Brouckere mean, which represents the ratio of the volume of all particles in the emulsion to the total surface area. The "average particle size D[4,3]" of the oii droplet particles can often be measured by a particle size analyzer, such as laser diffraction or dynamic light scattering.

[0190] It should be noted that the average particle size D of the oil droplets formed in the nutrient emulsion [4,3] has an important impact on the stability and appearance properties of the emulsion. When the average particle size D [4,3] of the on droplets is less than 0.8 pm, the resulting nutrient emulsion is prone to turbidity or stratification. Unconstrained by theory, it is hypothesized that smaller oil droplet particles (average particle size D [4,3] less than 0.8 pm) mean a larger total surface area, which leads to an increase in tension at the oil-water interface, which is reduced due to insufficient emulsifiers to cover these interfaces, and oil droplets may aggregate, resulting in cloudiness or delamination. On the other hand, when the average particle size D [4,3] of the oil droplets is greater than 1.5 pm, the resulting nutrient emulsion will also appear cloudy or stratified. Unconstrained by theory, it is hypothesized

[0191] 28

[0192] ERRONEOUSLY FILED (RULE 20.5bis) that larger oil droplet particles are more affected by gravity due to their larger mass and volume, resulting in an increased sedimentation rate, which may cause emulsion stratification, and in addition, the increase of oil droplet particles will enhance the van der Waals force between the particles, and this attraction may cause the oil droplet particles to aggregate and form larger clumps, which in turn will lead to cloudiness or delamination of the emulsion.

[0193] Preferably, in order to further improve the system stability of the prepared nutrient emulsion, the particle size D50 of the oil droplet particles formed in the nutrient emulsion is less than 1.5 pm.

[0194] In the present application, unless otherwise specified, the particle size D50 of the oil droplet particles formed in the nutrient emulsion of the present invention has the same concept as in the prior art with respect to "particle size D50". That is, "particle size D50", also known as median particle size or median diameter by volume, is an important parameter to describe the particle size distribution in an emulsion. It means that in the emulsion, 50% of the particle volume is smaller than this particle size, while the other 50% of the particle volume is larger than this particle size. The "particle size D50" of the oil droplet particles can usually be measured by a particle size analyzer, such as laser diffraction or dynamic light scattering.

[0195] Preferably, in order to further improve the system stability of the prepared nutrient emulsion, the particle size D90 of the oil droplet particles formed in the nutrient emulsion is less than 2.5 pm.

[0196] In the present application, unless otherwise specified, the particle size D90 of the oil droplet particles formed in the nutrient emulsion of the present invention has the same concept as the prior art with respect to "particle size D90". That is, "particle size D90", also known as the 90th percentile particle size of the volume distribution, is a key parameter to describe the particle size distribution in an emulsion. It means that in the emulsion, 90% of the particle volume is smaller than this particle size, while the other 10% of the particle volume is larger than this

[0197] 29

[0198] ERRONEOUSLY FILED (RULE 20.5bis) particle size. The "particle size D90" of the oil droplet particles can usually be measured by a particle size analyzer, such as laser diffraction or dynamic light scattering.

[0199] According to the technical scheme of the present invention, the weight ratio of described egg yolk phospholipid and described OPO -containing triglyceride is in the range of 1:40 to 3:7. When the weight ratio of egg yolk phospholipids to the OPO-containing triglycerides was less than 1:40, the amount of egg yolk phospholipids as an emulsifier was too small to completely stabilize the OPO-containing oil phase system, and stratification occurred, and nutrient emulsions with an average particle size D of oil droplets [4,3] in the range of 0.8-1.5 pm could not be formed. On the other hand, when the weight ratio of egg yolk phospholipids to the OPO-containing triglycerides is greater than 3:7, the amount of egg yolk phospholipids as an emulsifier is excessive, which may exceed the requirements of the oil-water interface, resulting in the emulsifier forming multiple layers of coverage on the surface of the oil droplets, thereby increasing the size of the oil droplets, and the average particle size D [4,3] of the oil droplets cannot be formed m the g 0.8-1.5 [4,3], m range of nutrient emulsions. In addition, the efficiency of the emulsifier may decrease as its concentration increases, and too much emulsifier will not proportionately increase the stability of the emulsion, but may instead cause the emulsion particles to become larger. As a detrimental result, the emulsion becomes delaminated after a longer period of time.

[0200] According to the technical scheme of the present invention, in order to form oil droplet particles of the required particle size range in the nutrient emulsion to obtain a nutrient emulsion with good system stability, the weight ratio of the egg yolk phospholipid and the OPO-containing triglyceride is preferably in the range of 1:40 to 1 :3, and 1:20 to 1:15 is preferred.

[0201] In order to achieve a good combination of egg yolk phospholipids and OPO, the sum of the weight of the egg yolk phospholipids and the OPO-containing triglycerides accounts for 8-30% of the total weight of the nutrient emulsion,

[0202] 30

[0203] ERRONEOUSLY FILED (RULE 20.5bis) preferably 8-20%, and preferably 8-10%.

[0204] Preferably, in order to better form oil droplet particles with the required average particle size, the weight of the water accounts for more than 80% of the total weight of the nutrient emulsion, and preferably 80-90%.

[0205] Preferably, in order to better form oil droplet particles with the required average particle size, the sum of the weight of the egg yolk phospholipid, the OPO-containing triglycerides and the raw oil accounts for 10-20% of the total weight of the nutrient emulsion.

[0206] According to the technical scheme of the present invention, the nutrient emulsion comprises raw oil in addition to egg yolk phospholipid and containing OPO triglycerides. The raw oil can not only improve the nutrient composition distribution of the nutrient emulsion, but also improve the system stability of the nutrient emulsion. There are no special restrictions on the specific types of raw oil that may be used in the present invention. Preferably, the raw oil is selected from one or more vegetable oils or animal oils. Preferably, the raw oil is selected from one or more of the following groups: sunflower oil (including high-oleic sunflower oil), medium-chain triglycerides, coconut oil, flaxseed oil, anhydrous butter, palm kernel oil, DHA algal oil, fish oil, walnut oil, camellia oil, perilla seed oil, sea buckthorn seed oil, avocado oil, wheat germ oil, blackcurrant seed oil, borage oil, eucommia seed oil, evening primrose oil, soybean oil, rapeseed oil (including canola oil), corn oil, peanut oil, safflower seed oil, palm oil, Rice bran oil, sesame oil, y-linolenic acid oil, tomato seed oil, peony seed oil, krill oil, Acer truncatum seed oil, Ustena fruit oil, Milk thistle seed oil, Conjugated linoleic acid and shea butter, etc. Preferably, the sunflower oil is high-oleic sunflower oil (HOSO). Preferably, the sunflower oil is high-oleic sunflower oil.

[0207] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the water used to form the nutrient emulsion of the present invention is preferably pure water. By removing ionic impurities such as calcium, magnesium, sodium, etc., purified water reduces the number of ions that may react with emulsifiers or other components,

[0208] 31

[0209] ERRONEOUSLY FILED (RULE 20.5bis) thus avoiding the potential interference of these ions with the stability and emulsification effect of the emulsion. The presence of ions may affect the adsorption and arrangement of the emulsifier at the oil-water interface, and the use of purified water helps to maintain the stability of the emulsifier and thus improve the overall stability of the emulsion. Ionic impurities in nutritional emulsions can affect the shelf life and quality of the product, and the use of purified water can ensure product quality and avoid product spoilage or taste changes caused by ions. More preferably, the water used to form the nutrient emulsion of the present invention is preferably deionized water.

[0210] Preferably, the nutrient emulsion according to the present invention may contain phospholipid-bound arachidonic acid (ARA) and phospholipid-bound docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). For example, a nutrient emulsion according to the present invention may contain 0.016 to 0.064g / 100g, preferably 0.032 to 0.064g / 100g, such as 0.032 to 0.06g / 100g of phospholipid-bound ARA, and / or a nutrient emulsion according to the present invention may contain 0.008 to 0.032g / 100g, preferably 0.016 to 0.032g / 100g, such as 0.02 to 0.03g / 100g of phospholipid-bound DHA.

[0211] There is no special restriction on the egg yolk phospholipid that can be used in the present invention, which can be obtained by conventional commercial means. Preferably, egg yolk phospholipids are egg yolk phospholipids with a phospholipid content greater than or equal to 75%. Described egg yolk phospholipid comprises phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), sphingomyelin (SM) and lysophospholipid (LPC+LPE) etc. Alternatively, a specific example of egg yolk phospholipids includes ELIP 3020, a mixture of egg yolk phospholipids and high oleic sunflower oil, manufactured and marketed by Aarhus Kars Oil Co., Ltd., where the mass ratio of egg yolk phospholipids to high oleic sunflower oil is approximately 1: 1. The ELIP 3020 product contains phospholipid-bound DHA and phospholipid-bound ARA, specifically, the ELIP 3020 product contains approximately 59 wt% phosphatidylcholine (PC), about 11 wt%

[0212] 32

[0213] ERRONEOUSLY FILED (RULE 20.5bis) phosphatidyl ethanolamine (PE), about 2 wt% sphingomyelin (SM) and about 8.5 wt% lysophospholipid (LPC+LPE), among others.

[0214] There is no special restriction on the OPO-containing triglycerides that can be used in the present invention, which can be obtained by conventional commercial means or synthesized by traditional esterification reactions. Esterification is the process by which glycerol reacts with fatty acids under the action of an acidic or alkaline catalyst to form triglycerides. In addition to esterification, OPO structural esters can also be prepared by transesterification. Transesterification involves existing triglycerides and free fatty acids that, with the action of a specific catalyst (usually an enzyme), adjust the position of the fatty acids on the triglyceride molecule. The choice of catalyst in esterification and transesterification reactions is critical. Esterification reactions can be performed using acidic or basic catalysts, while transesterification reactions typically require more specific enzyme catalysts.

[0215] Preferably, the OPO-containing triglycerides that can be used in the present invention are fractions of the transesterification products obtained by a 1, 3-selective transesterification reaction between a vegetable oil (e.g., palm oil) and oleic acid. Preferably, in the OPO-containing triglycerides that can be used in the present invention, the proportion of 2-palmitic acid in the total palmitic acid is at least 52%, and the content of OPO is at least 40 by weight. The OPO-containing triglycerides can be commercially purchased as a food nutrition enhancer. The physicochemical indexes containing OPO triglycerides meet the indexes specified in the Chinese National Food Safety Standard GB 30604-2015. Specifically, the OPO-containing triglyceride that can be used in the present invention is 1,3 -dioleic acid-2-palmitic acid triglyceride (product name: INFAT C250) produced by Ahus Kars Oil (Zhangjiagang) Co., Ltd.

[0216] In addition to the above-mentioned components, one or more additives routinely used in the field of nutritional emulsion can also be added according to the method of preparing a nutritional emulsion containing egg yolk phospholipids and 1,3 -di oleic acid-2-palmitic acid triglycerides, as long as it does not affect the

[0217] 33

[0218] ERRONEOUSLY FILED (RULE 20.5bis) egg yolk phospholipids, OPO-containing triglycerides, raw oil and water mixed system can form an average particle size D[4,3] Oil droplet particles in the range of 0.8-1.5 pm are sufficientoSpecific examples of one or more additives that can be applied include: antioxidants, which include, but are not limited to, vitamin E (mixed tocopherols), AP (ascorbyl palmitate), BHA (butyl hydroxyanisel), BHT (bht), etc.; emulsifiers, including but not limited to glyceryl caprylic decanoate, etc.; nutritional enhancers, including but not limited to vitamin A, vitamin D, DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), etc.; stabilizers, including but not limited to EDTA, etc.; preservatives, including but not limited to lactic acid streptococcins, etc.; and functional ingredients, including but not limited to oligosaccharides.

[0219] According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for preparing the nutrient emulsion described above is provided, and the method comprises the following steps:

[0220] (1) mixing the egg yolk phospholipid, the OPO-containing triglycerides, and the raw material oil with water to obtain a dispersion; with

[0221] (2) the dispersion is sequentially sheared and homogenized, wherein the shearing treatment comprises shearing the dispersion at a rotational speed of 3000-5000 rpm under heating, and the homogenization treatment comprises homogenizing the sheared dispersion under a pressure of 300-400 bar under heating.

[0222] The inventor of the present invention has found in his research that by controlling the specific type and content of each component in the emulsion and in particular employing a specific dispersion process (including high-speed shearing treatment and high-pressure homogenization treatment under specific conditions), a nutritional emulsion containing egg yolk phospholipid and 1,3 -di oleic acid-2 -palmitic acid triglyceride (OPO) can be obtained while having good system stability.

[0223] The inventors of the present invention have found that a specific dispersion

[0224] 34

[0225] ERRONEOUSLY FILED (RULE 20.5bis) process, including high-speed shearing and high-pressure homogenization under specific conditions, is essential to obtain a nutrient emulsion containing egg yolk phospholipids and OPO with good stability. Unconstrained by theory, it is hypothesized that high-speed shear treatment and high-pressure homogenization can significantly improve the emulsification effect, resulting in a more uniform dispersion of oil droplets, resulting in the formation of finer oil droplet particles, which helps to improve the stability of the emulsion. In addition, by specifically selecting the process conditions of high-speed shear treatment and high-pressure homogenization treatment, the tension at the oil-water interface can be physically reduced, making the oil droplets more dispersed in the water, and promoting the formation of oil-in-water (W / O) emulsions. As an emulsifier, egg yolk phospholipids can be more evenly distributed at the oil-water interface under the action of high-speed shearing and high-pressure homogenization, which can improve its emulsification efficiency.

[0226] Specifically, in the shearing treatment according to step (2) of the method of the present invention, emulsion dispersion is carried out by applying a shear force. There are no particular restrictions on the specific type of device used for shearing processing, and it is possible to choose from the common shearing units used in conventional oil and food processing. Preferably, high-speed shearing cans, high-shear emulsifiers, colloid mills or homogenizers can be used.

[0227] According to some embodiments of the present invention, in step (2), the shearing treatment comprises shearing the dispersion at a rotational speed of 3000-5000 rpm under heating. When the rotation speed used for shearing treatment was less than 3000 rpm, there was a small amount of precipitation in the obtained egg yolk phospholipid-OPO emulsion system, and delamination would occur after a long period of placement. On the other hand, when the rotation speed used for shearing treatment is greater than 5000 rpm, a small amount of precipitation will also occur in the resulting egg yolk phospholipid-OPO emulsion system, which is presumably due to the excessive shear rate of the oil droplet particles in the

[0228] 35

[0229] ERRONEOUSLY FILED (RULE 20.5bis) emulsion system due to excessive shear action, which destroys the stability of the oil droplets, resulting in the aggregation or merging of oil droplets, forming larger particles, and finally precipitation.

[0230] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the shearing treatment is carried out under heating conditions. Preferably, in step (2), in order to improve the emulsification effect of egg yolk phospholipids, OPO-containing triglycerides, raw oil and water, the shearing treatment is carried out in the temperature range of 55 °C-70 °C. Preferably, in step (2), in order to improve the emulsification effect of egg yolk phospholipids, OPO-containing triglycerides, raw oil and water, the shearing treatment is carried out for 3-5 minutes.

[0231] Specifically, in the homogenization process according to step (2) of the method of the present invention, the large droplets in the grease are broken into smaller droplets by applying a high shear force, thereby reducing the average size of the droplets in the emulsion. There are no particular restrictions on the specific type of unit used for homogenization and can be selected from the common homogenizers used in conventional oil and food processing. Preferably, high-pressure homogenizers can be used.

[0232] According to some embodiments of the present invention, in step (2), the homogenization process comprises homogenizing the sheared dispersion under heating at a pressure of 300-400 bar. When the pressure used for homogenization is less than 300 bar, the obtained egg yolk phospholipid-OPO emulsion system quickly precipitates a large amount and stratification. At pressures greater than 400 bar for homogenization, the resulting yolk phospholipid-OPO emulsion system also has a small amount of precipitation (and even a large amount of precipitation in some recipes) and the yolk phospholipid is not completely dispersed. Unconstrained by theory, it is speculated that when the pressure of high-pressure homogenization is too high, it will lead to excessive refinement of oil droplets, and may even damage the structure of oil droplets, causing oil droplets to aggregate or merge, forming larger particles and precipitating.

[0233] 36

[0234] ERRONEOUSLY FILED (RULE 20.5bis) According to some embodiments of the present invention, the homogenization treatment is carried out under heating conditions. Preferably, in step (2), in order to improve the emulsification effect of egg yolk phospholipids, OPO-containing triglycerides, raw oil and water, the homogenization treatment is carried out in the temperature range of 55 °C-70 °C. Preferably, in step (2), in order to improve the emulsification effect of egg yolk phospholipids, OPO-containing triglycerides, raw oil and water, the homogenization treatment is carried out for 5-10 minutes.

[0235] According to some embodiments of the present invention, in order to further improve the mixing of egg yolk phospholipids and OPO-containing triglycerides, egg yolk phospholipids and raw material oil may be mixed in step (1) to obtain a premix, and then the premix is mixed with OPO-containing triglycerides and water to obtain the dispersion used in step (2). Preferably, the raw oil comprises sunflower oil. Preferably, in order to further improve the emulsifying effect of egg yolk phospholipids, OPO-containing triglycerides, raw oil and water, the raw oil comprises high-oleic sunflower oil.

[0236] The following specific embodiments are intended to illustrate the contents of this disclosure in an exemplary and non-qualifying manner.

[0237] The specific embodiment 1 is a nutrient emulsion, and the nutrient emulsion comprises egg yolk phospholipids, contains OPO triglycerides, raw material oil and water, wherein: the weight ratio of described egg yolk phospholipid to described OPO-containing triglyceride is in the range of 1 :40 to 3:7;

[0238] The average particle size D [4,3] of the oil droplet particles formed in the nutrient emulsion WaS Hl the range of 0.8- 1.5 pm; and

[0239] In the OPO-containing triglycerides, 2-palmitic acid accounts for at least 52% of the total palmitic acid, and the content of OPO is at least 40% by weight.

[0240] The specific embodiment 2 is a nutrient emulsion according to the specific embodiment 1, wherein the particle size D50 of the oil droplet particles formed in

[0241] 37

[0242] ERRONEOUSLY FILED (RULE 20.5bis) the nutrient emulsion is less than 1.5 m.

[0243] The specific embodiment 3 is a nutrient emulsion according to the specific embodiment 1 , wherein the particle size D90 of the oil droplet particles formed in the nutrient emulsion is less than 2.5 pm.

[0244] The specific embodiment 4 is a nutrient emulsion according to the specific embodiment 1, wherein the egg yolk phospholipid and the weight ratio of the OPO-containing triglyceride are in the range of 1 :40 to 1:3.

[0245] The specific embodiment 5 is a nutrient emulsion according to the specific embodiment 1, wherein the egg yolk phospholipid and the weight ratio of the OPO-containing triglyceride are in the range of 1 :20 to 1:15.

[0246] The specific embodiment 6 is a nutrient emulsion according to the specific embodiment 1 , wherein the sum of the weight of the egg yolk phospholipid and the OPO-containing triglycerides accounts for 8-30% of the total weight of the nutrient emulsion.

[0247] The specific embodiment 7 is a nutrient emulsion according to the specific embodiment 1 , wherein the sum of the weight of the egg yolk phospholipid and the OPO-containing triglycerides accounts for 8-20% of the total weight of the nutrient emulsion.

[0248] The specific embodiment 8 is a nutrient emulsion according to the specific embodiment 1 , wherein the weight of the water accounts for more than 80% of the total weight of the nutrient emulsion.

[0249] The specific embodiment 9 is the nutrient emulsion according to the specific embodiment 1, wherein the weight of the water accounts for 80-90% of the total weight of the nutrient emulsion.

[0250] The specific embodiment 10 is a nutrient emulsion according to the specific embodiment 1, wherein the sum of the weight of the egg yolk phospholipid, the OPO-containing triglyceride and the raw material oil accounts for 10-20% of the total weight of the nutrient emulsion.

[0251] The specific embodiment 11 is a nutrient emulsion according to the specific

[0252] 38

[0253] ERRONEOUSLY FILED (RULE 20.5bis) embodiment 1, wherein the OPO is 1,3 -dioleic acid-2-palmitic acid triglyceride.

[0254] The specific embodiment 12 is a nutrient emulsion according to the specific embodiment 1 , wherein the raw material oil is selected from one or more vegetable oil or animal oil.

[0255] The specific embodiment 13 is the nutrient emulsion according to the specific embodiment 1, wherein the raw material oil selects one or more of the groups composed of the following: sunflower oil, medium-chain triglycerides, coconut oil, flaxseed oil, anhydrous butter, palm kernel oil, DHA algal oil, fish oil, walnut oil, camellia oil, perilla seed oil, sea buckthorn seed oil, avocado oil, wheat germ oil, blackcurrant seed oil, borage oil, eucommia ulmoides seed oil, evening primrose oil, soybean oil, rapeseed oil, com oil, peanut oil, safflower seed oil, palm oil, rice bran oil, sesame oil, y-linolenic acid, tomato seed oil, peony seed oil, krill oil, Acer truncatum seed oil, Giant sagebrush fruit oil, Milk thistle seed oil, Conjugated linoleic acid, and shea butter.

[0256] The specific embodiment 14 is a nutrient emulsion according to the specific embodiment 13, wherein the sunflower oil is a high oleic sunflower oil.

[0257] The specific embodiment 15 is a nutrient emulsion according to the specific embodiment 1, wherein the nutrient emulsion comprises arachidonic acid (ARA) and phospholipid combined docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

[0258] The specific embodiment 16 is a method for preparing a nutrient emulsion according to any one of the specific embodiments 1-15, and the method comprises the following steps:

[0259] (1) mixing the egg yolk phospholipid, the OPO-containing triglycerides, and the raw material oil with water to obtain a dispersion; with

[0260] (2) the dispersion is sequentially sheared and homogenized, wherein the shearing treatment comprises shearing the dispersion at a rotational speed of 3000-5000 rpm under heating, and the homogenization treatment comprises homogenizing the sheared dispersion under a pressure of 300-400 bar under heating.

[0261] 39

[0262] ERRONEOUSLY FILED (RULE 20.5bis) The specific embodiment 17 is the method according to the specific embodiment 16, wherein in step (2), the shearing treatment is carried out in the temperature range of 55 °C to 70 °C.

[0263] The specific embodiment 18 is the method according to the specific embodiment 16, wherein in the step (2), the shearing process is carried out for 3 -5 minutes.

[0264] The specific embodiment 19 is according to the method described in the specific embodiment 16, wherein in step (2), the homogenization treatment is carried out in the temperature range of 55 °C-70 °C.

[0265] The specific embodiment 20 is according to the method described in the specific embodiment 16, wherein in step (2), the homogenization treatment is carried out for 5-10 minutes.

[0266] The specific embodiment 21 is the method according to the specific embodiment 16, wherein the step (1) comprises: the egg yolk phospholipid is mixed with the raw material oil to obtain a premix, and then the premix is mixed with the OPO-containing triglyceride and water to obtain the dispersion.

[0267] The specific embodiment 22 is the method according to the specific embodiment 21, wherein the raw material oil comprises high-oleic sunflower oil.

[0268] The present invention is described in more detail below in conjunction with embodiments. It should be noted that these descriptions and embodiments are intended to make the invention understandable and not to limit the invention. The scope of protection of the present invention is subject to the attached claims.

[0269] Embodiment

[0270] In the present invention, unless otherwise indicated, the reagents used are all commercially purchased products and are used directly without further purification.

[0271] Table 1 List of raw materials

[0272] 40

[0273] ERRONEOUSLY FILED (RULE 20.5bis)

[0274] Table 2 Fatty acid composition in OPO-containing triglycerides

[0275] Test Method:

[0276] 41

[0277] ERRONEOUSLY FILED (RULE 20.5bis) According to the test method described in detail below, the nutrient emulsion prepared in each of the following embodiments and comparison examples is tested separately.

[0278] Tests on stability

[0279] The nutrient emulsion prepared in each embodiment and comparison example below 300g was taken respectively and added to a 500 mL beaker. The samples were kept at room temperature in the dark for 10 days, and then their uniformity was judged by observing the appearance of the samples.

[0280] The observations were obtained from ten reviewers in the field of nutritional emulsion production, who individually visually observed the appearance of the samples and scored the following criteria:

[0281] 9-10 points: mix well completely;

[0282] 7-8 points: most of the mixture is even;

[0283] 5-6 points: a small amount of precipitation;

[0284] 3-4 points: a large amount of precipitation; and

[0285] 1-2 points: fully layered.

[0286] Finally, the average score of the ten evaluators was used as the evaluation score of the sample. Due to precipitation in the sample, samples below 7 points are not suitable for use as nutritional emulsion products.

[0287] Embodiment 1 (El)

[0288] 1 wt. ELIP 3020, 19 wt. OPO-containing triglycerides, and 80 wt. purified water were simultaneously added to a high-speed shearing jar (model T50D, IKA, Germany) and sheared and dispersed at a high speed of 3000 rmp at 70 °C for 3 minutes. The dispersion is then transferred to a high-pressure homogenizer (model PANDA PLUS 2000H, GEA, Germany) and homogenized at 55 ° C at a pressure of 300 bar for 5 minutes to obtain a nutrient emulsion 1.

[0289] The particle size of the oil droplet particles formed in the nutrient emulsion 1

[0290] 42

[0291] ERRONEOUSLY FILED (RULE 20.5bis) was detected by a particle size analyzer (Mastersizer 3000, Malvern) by multi-source laser diffraction, wherein the average particle size D [4,3] of the oil droplets formed in the nutrient emulsion 1 was 1.312 pm, particle size D50 was 1.217 pm, and particle size D90 was 2.230 pm.

[0292] The stability of nutrient emulsion 1 was tested according to the method used to measure stability described in detail in the test methods section above. The results on stability are shown in Table 3 below.

[0293] Embodiment 2-7 (E2-E7) and comparison examples 1-12 (CE1-CE12) are implemented in a manner similar to Example 1, except that the type of each raw material and its proportion, the process conditions of shearing treatment or the process conditions of homogenization treatment are changed as described in Table 3 to prepare nutrient emulsion 2-7 and compare nutrient emulsion 1-12.

[0294] In the same manner as described in Example 1, the nutrient emulsion prepared in the above embodiment and the comparison example were detected by a particle size analyzer (Mastersizer 3000, Malvern company) by multi-source laser diffraction, and the results are shown in Table 3 below. It should be noted that if there is obvious delamination in the prepared nutrient emulsion, the above particle size detection will not be carried out, and only the corresponding part in Table 3 will be marked with "delamination".

[0295] In addition, nutrient emulsions 2-7 and comparative nutrient emulsions 1-12 were tested for stability according to the methods described in detail in the test methods section above. The results on the emulsion are shown in Table 3 below.

[0296] 43

[0297] ERRONEOUSLY FILED (RULE 20.5bis) IB240052C

[0298] Table 3 The types of raw materials in embodiment 1-7 (E1-E7) and comparison examples 1-12 (CE1-CE12), their proportions, process conditions, and the stability test results of nutrient emulsion

[0299] : In Table 3, the symbol indicates that delamination occurred during the preparation of this comparison, so no subsequent uniformity testing was performed.

[0300] It can be seen from the results shown in Table 3 above that when the composition type and content of the nutrient emulsion are controlled according to the technical scheme of the present invention (i.e., the weight ratio of the egg yolk phospholipid and the OPO-containing triglyceride is in the range of 1 :40 to 3:7) and the dispersion is sheared and homogenized sequentially according to specific process conditions (i.e., the shearing treatment is sheared at a speed of 3000-5000 rpm under heating, and when the homogenization treatment is homogenized under heating at a pressure of 300-400 bar) to prepare the nutrient emulsion, oil droplet particles with a specific particle size (i.e., the average particle size D [4,3] is in the range of 0.8- 1.5 pm) are formed in the obtained nutrient emulsion, so that the nutrient emulsion has good system stability.

[0301] By comparing the results of embodiment 1 (El) with the results of comparison example 1 (CE1), it can be seen that when the weight ratio of egg yolk phospholipid to the OPO-containing triglyceride is too small (for example, in CE1, the ratio is less than 1 :40), the amount of egg yolk phospholipid as an emulsifier is too small, and the oil-phase system containing OPO cannot be completely stabilized, and the delamination phenomenon occurs.

[0302] By comparing the results of embodiment 5 (E5) with the results of comparison example 10 (CE10), it can be seen that when the weight ratio of egg yolk phospholipid to the OPO-containing triglyceride is too large (e.g., in CE10, the ratio is 1:2, which is greater than 3:7), the average particle size D [4,3] of the oil droplets formed in the nutrient emulsion greatly exceeds 1.5 pm, resulting in a relatively unstable system, The emulsion has partially precipitated after 10 days.

[0303] Although specific embodiments have been shown and described in the present invention, those skilled in the art will understand that the specific embodiments shown and described may be substituted for various alternative and / or equivalent embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. The application is intended to include any improvements or changes to the specific

[0304] 45

[0305] ERRONEOUSLY FILED (RULE 20.5bis) embodiments discussed in the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that a variety of modifications and changes may be made without deviating from the scope of the present invention. Such modifications and changes are intended to fall within the scope of the present invention as defined by the attached claims.

[0306] 46

[0307] ERRONEOUSLY FILED (RULE 20.5bis)

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A nutrient emulsion comprising an egg phospholipid, an OPO-containing triglyceride, a raw material oil, and water, wherein: a weight ratio of the egg phospholipid to the OPO-containing triglyceride is in a range of 1 :40 to 3:7; an average particle size D[4;3] of oil droplet particles formed in the nutrient emulsion is in a range of 0.8-1.5 pm; and in the OPO-containing triglyceride, a proportion of a 2-position palmitic acid to the total palmitic acid is at least 52%, and a content of OPO is at least 40 wt%.

2. The nutrient emulsion according to claim 1, wherein oil droplet particles formed in the nutrient emulsion have a particle size D50less than 1.5 pm.

3. The nutrient emulsion according to claim 1, wherein oil droplet particles formed in the nutrient emulsion have a particle size D90less than 2.5 pm.

4. The nutrient emulsion according to claim 1, wherein the weight ratio of the egg phospholipid to the OPO-containing triglyceride is in a range of 1 :40 to 1 :3.

5. The nutrient emulsion according to claim 1, wherein the weight ratio of the egg phospholipid to the OPO-containing triglyceride is in a range of 1 :20 to 1 :15.

6. The nutrient emulsion according to claim 1, wherein a sum of the weights of the egg phospholipid and the OPO-containing triglyceride accounts for 8-30% of the total weight of the nutrient emulsion.

7. The nutrient emulsion according to claim 1, wherein a sum of the weights of the egg phospholipid and the OPO-containing triglyceride accounts for 8-20% of the total weight of the nutrient emulsion.47INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (RULE 20.6)8. The nutrient emulsion according to claim 1, wherein the weight of water accounts for 80% or more of the total weight of the nutrient emulsion.

9. The nutrient emulsion according to claim 1, wherein the weight of water accounts for 80-90% of the total weight of the nutrient emulsion.

10. The nutrient emulsion according to claim 1, wherein a sum of the weights of the egg phospholipid, the OPO-containing triglyceride and the raw material oil accounts for 10-20% of the total weight of the nutrient emulsion.

11. The nutrient emulsion according to claim 1, wherein the OPO is 1 ,3 -dioleyl-2-palmitoyl triglyceride.

12. The nutrient emulsion according to claim 1, wherein the egg phospholipid comprises 55-82 wt% of phosphatidylcholine (PC), 11-20 wt% of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), 2-4 wt% of sphingomyelin (SM), and 2-9 wt% of lysophospholipids, said lysophospholipids comprise lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) and lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE).

13. The nutrient emulsion according to claim 12, wherein the egg phospholipid further comprise 1-3 wt% of DHA and 2-4 wt% of ARA.

14. The nutrient emulsion according to claim 1, wherein the raw material oil is selected from one or more of a vegetable oil or an animal oil.

15. The nutrient emulsion according to claim 1, wherein the raw material oil is one or more selected from a group consisting of sunflower oil, medium chain triglycerides, coconut oil, flaxseed oil, anhydrous butter, palm kernel oil, DHA algae oil, fish oil, walnut oil, camellia oil, perilla seed oil, sea buckthorn seed oil, avocado oil, wheat germ oil, black currant seed oil, borage oil, eucommia seed oil, evening primrose oil, soybean oil, rapeseed48INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (RULE 20.6)oil, corn oil, peanut oil, safflower seed oil, palm oil, rice bran oil, sesame oil, gamma-linolenic acid oil, tomato seed oil, peony seed oil, krill oil, maple seed oil, sacha inchi oil, milk thistle seed oil, conjugated linoleic acid, and shea butter.

16. The nutrient emulsion according to claim 15, wherein the sunflower oil is high oleic sunflower oil.

17. The nutrient emulsion according to claim 1, wherein the nutrient emulsion comprises a phospholipid-bound arachidonic acid (ARA) and a phospholipid-bound docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

18. A preparation method for the nutrient emulsion according to any one of claims 1-17, comprising steps of:(1) mixing the egg phospholipid, the OPO-containing triglyceride, the raw material oil and water to obtain a dispersion; and(2) subjecting the dispersion to a shearing treatment and a homogenizing treatment in turn, wherein the shearing treatment comprises shearing the dispersion at a rotation speed of 3000-5000 rpm under heating, and the homogenizing treatment comprises homogenizing the sheared dispersion under a pressure of 300-400 bar under heating.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein in step (2), the shearing process is performed at a temperature in a range of 55°C to 70°C.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein in step (2), the shearing process is performed for 3-5 minutes.

21. The method according to claim 18, wherein in step (2), 1he homogenizing treatment is performed at a temperature in a range of 55°C to 70°C.

22. The method according to claim 18, wherein in step (2), the homogenizing49INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (RULE 20.6)treatment is performed for 5-10 minutes.

23. The method according to claim 18, wherein step (1) comprises: mixing the egg phospholipid and the raw material oil to obtain a premix, and then mixing the premix with the OPO-containing triglyceride and water to obtain the dispersion.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the raw material oil comprises high oleic sunflower oil.50INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (RULE 20.6)Leter of Claim1. A nutrient emulsion, the nutrient emulsion comprises egg yolk phospholipids, contains OPO triglycerides, raw oil and water, wherein: the weight ratio of described egg yolk phospholipid to described OPO-containing triglyceride is in the range of 1 :40 to 3:7;The average particle size D [4,3] of the oil droplet particles formed in the nutrient emulsion WaS Hl the range of 0.8- 1.5 pm; andIn the OPO-containing triglycerides, 2-palmitic acid accounts for at least 52% of the total palmitic acid, and the content of OPO is at least 40% by weight.

2. Nutrient emulsion of claim 1, wherein the particle size D 50 of the oil droplet particles formed in the nutrient emulsionis less than 1.5 pm.

3. Nutrient emulsion according to claim 1, wherein the particle size D90 of the oil droplet particles formed in the nutrient emulsion is less than 2.5 pm.

4. Nutrient emulsion according to claim 1, wherein the weight ratio of egg yolk phospholipid to OPO-containing triglycerides is in the range of 1:40 to 1 :3.

5. Nutrient emulsion according to claim 1, wherein the weight ratio of egg yolk phospholipid to described OPO-containing triglyceride is in the range of 1 :20 to 1: 15.

6. The nutrient emulsion of claim 1, wherein the sum of the weight of the egg yolk phospholipid and the OPO-containing triglycerides accounts for 8-30% of the total weight of the nutrient emulsion.

7. Nutrient emulsion according to claim 1, wherein the sum of the weight of the egg yolk phospholipid and the OPO-containing triglycerides accounts for 8-20% of the total weight of the nutrient emulsion.

8. nutrient emulsion according to claim 1, wherein the weight of water accounts for more than 80% of the total weight of nutrient emulsion.

9. nutrient emulsion according to claim 1, wherein the weight of water accounts for 80-90% of the total weight of nutrient emulsion.

10. The nutrient emulsion of claim 1, wherein the sum of the weight of the egg51ERRONEOUSLY FILED (RULE 20.5bis)yolk phospholipid, the OPO-containing triglyceride and the raw material oil accounts for 10-20% of the total weight of the nutrient emulsion.

11. Nutrient emulsion according to claim 1, wherein the OPO is 1,3 -dioleic acid-2 -palmitic acid triglyceride.

12. nutrient emulsion according to claim 1, wherein the raw material oil is selected from one or more vegetable oils or animal oils.

13. nutrient emulsion according to claim 1, wherein the raw material oil is selected from one or more of the groups composed of the following items: sunflower oil, medium-chain triglycerides, coconut oil, flaxseed oil, anhydrous butter, palm kernel oil, DHA algal oil, fish oil, walnut oil, camellia oil, perilla seed oil, sea buckthorn seed oil, avocado oil, wheat germ oil, blackcurrant seed oil, borage oil, eucommia seed oil, evening primrose oil, soybean oil, rapeseed oil, corn oil, peanut oil, Safflower Seed Oil, Palm Oil, Rice Bran Oil, Sesame Oil, y-Linolenic Acid Oil, Tomato Seed Oil, Peony Seed Oil, Krill Oil, Acer truncatum Seed Oil, Giant Vine Fruit Oil, Milk Thistle Seed Oil, Conjugated Linoleic Acid and Shea Butter.

14. nutrient emulsion according to claim 13, wherein the sunflower oil is high oleic sunflower oil.

15. Nutrient emulsion of claim 1, wherein the nutrient emulsion comprises arachidonic acid (ARA) and phospholipid bound docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

16. A method for preparing a nutrient emulsion according to any one of claims 1 to 15, the process comprises the following steps:(1) mixing the egg yolk phospholipid, the OPO-containing triglycerides, and the raw material oil with water to obtain a dispersion; with(2) the dispersion is sequentially sheared and homogenized, wherein the shearing treatment comprises shearing the dispersion at a rotational speed of 3000-5000 rpm under heating, and the homogenization treatment comprises homogenizing the sheared dispersion under a pressure of 300-400 bar under heating.52ERRONEOUSLY FILED (RULE 20.5bis)17. The method of claim 16, wherein in step (2), the shearing treatment is carried out in the temperature range of 55 °C-70 °C.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein in step (2), the shearing process is carried out for 3-5 minutes.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein in step (2), the homogenization treatment is carried out in the temperature range of 55 °C-70 °C.

20. According to the method of claim 16, wherein in step (2), the homogenization process is carried out for 5-10 minutes.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein step (1) comprises: the egg yolk phospholipid is mixed with the raw material oil to obtain a premix, and then the premix is mixed with the OPO-containing triglyceride and water to obtain the dispersion.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the raw oil comprises high-oleic sunflower oil.53ERRONEOUSLY FILED (RULE 20.5bis)

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