Fish Oil Winterization Using Solubilizing Agent
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional winterization methods are not feasible for purifying fish oil rich in long-chain fatty acids, as they lead to the co-crystallization of desirable omega-3 fatty acids with unwanted components, making it difficult to obtain a pure and soluble olein fraction, especially from high-stearin fish species.
Innovation Solution
The method involves mixing fish oil with a solubilizing agent having a lower melting point than the winterization temperature, followed by successive incubation and filtration steps at decreasing temperatures, allowing desirable fatty acids like omega-3 fatty acids to remain in solution while unwanted components precipitate out, thereby purifying fish oil effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional winterization is performed on fish oil rich in long-chain fatty acids, then unwanted high melting point components are removed, but desirable omega-3 fatty acids co-crystallize and are lost
Solution Approach 1:
A solubilizing agent is introduced as an intermediary substance to prevent the co-crystallization of omega-3 fatty acids with unwanted components. The solubilizing agent forms a complex with the long-chain fatty acids, maintaining their solubility during winterization and preventing their precipitation, thus protecting the desirable omega-3 fatty acids from being lost in the stearin fraction.
Solution Approach 2:
The solubility parameters of the fish oil system are changed by adding the solubilizing agent. This alters the crystallization behavior of different fatty acid components, allowing selective precipitation of unwanted high melting point substances while keeping omega-3 fatty acids in solution through modified interaction parameters between molecules.
2Manufacturing precision
If organic solvents are used for extracting contaminants or desirable components, then purification efficiency is improved, but complete solvent removal becomes difficult and certain solvents are not allowable for human food products
Solution Approach 1:
The solubilizing agent acts as a temporary, expendable substance that facilitates the purification process and is then easily removed or degraded. It serves its function during winterization and can be completely eliminated from the final product through simple heating or evaporation, leaving no harmful residues.
Solution Approach 2:
The physical state and solubility characteristics of the system are temporarily modified by the solubilizing agent during processing, enabling effective separation. After purification, simple parameter changes such as heating cause the solubilizing agent to evaporate or decompose, achieving complete removal without complex purification steps.
3Device complexity
If fish oil is winterized without adding solubilizing agents, then the process is simpler, but long-chain saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids precipitate along with desirable omega-3 fatty acids
Solution Approach 1:
The solubilizing agent serves as a mediator that selectively interacts with long-chain saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, preventing them from co-precipitating with omega-3 fatty acids. This intermediary substance modifies the crystallization pathway, allowing the unwanted fatty acids to remain in solution or precipitate separately, thus reducing loss of desirable components.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This process enables the purification of fish oil from high-stearin fish species by maintaining the solubility of desirable fatty acids and removing unwanted components, resulting in a clear, purified oil suitable for human consumption.
Implementation Method 1
mixing a fish oil with a solubilizing agent, so as to obtain an oil mixture... allowing desirable fatty acids like omega-3 fatty acids to remain in solution
Implementation Method 2
performing winterization on the oil mixture... comprising successive steps of incubating and filtering the oil mixture at increasingly lower temperatures... allowing desirable fatty acids like omega-3 fatty acids to remain in solution while unwanted components precipitate out
Implementation Method 3
unwanted components precipitate out, thereby purifying fish oil effectively
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a process for winterizing crude fish oil by an improved winterization process, wherein a solubilizing agent is added to the fish oil prior to the winterization. The solubilizing agent is a fat-soluble edible organic compound, such as fatty acids or fatty acid mixtures. The invention further relates to compositions obtainable by the process.