Krill Oil Cholesterol Reduction via Column Chromatography
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional krill oil compositions have high cholesterol content, which can be detrimental to health, and existing methods do not effectively reduce cholesterol while maintaining high phospholipid levels, essential for cardiovascular health benefits.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of dried krill powder, spirits of wine for extraction, and a column process to remove salt and cholesterol, followed by decompression-concentration and layer-separation to produce krill oil with reduced cholesterol and enhanced phospholipid content, utilizing ethanol as a solvent and fillers like zeolite or alumina to achieve the desired composition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional krill oil extraction methods are used, then phospholipid content is maintained, but cholesterol content remains high causing health concerns
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies extraction principle by using a column chromatography process to selectively remove cholesterol from the krill oil extract while retaining phospholipids. The column contains a stationary phase that preferentially adsorbs cholesterol, allowing it to be separated and removed from the oil mixture, thus reducing harmful cholesterol content while preserving beneficial phospholipid content.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs parameter changes by optimizing the composition of the mobile phase (eluent) in the column chromatography process. By adjusting the solvent composition, flow rate, and temperature parameters, the method achieves selective elution of phospholipids while retaining cholesterol on the column, thereby separating these two components based on their different physicochemical properties.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If cholesterol removal processes are applied to krill oil, then health benefits are improved, but production complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary column chromatography system as a mediating step between crude krill oil extraction and final product formulation. This intermediary process uses a stationary phase and mobile phase combination that acts as a mediator to selectively interact with and remove cholesterol, providing a controlled and manageable approach to cholesterol reduction without requiring complex multiple-step processing.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If multiple processing steps are used to reduce cholesterol, then cholesterol content decreases, but production time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cholesterol removal function with the existing krill oil extraction process by integrating column chromatography as a continuous step in the production line. Rather than treating cholesterol removal as a separate batch process, the method combines extraction and purification operations, allowing the extract to flow continuously through the column and be collected, thereby reducing overall production time while achieving effective cholesterol reduction.
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
The method effectively reduces cholesterol content to 1.00% (w/w) or less and maintains a phospholipid concentration of 50 to 60% (w/w), enhancing the health benefits of krill oil as a food and functional food product.
Implementation Method 1
obtaining a passing solution from which salt and cholesterol are removed by passing the extract through a column
Implementation Method 2
obtaining a krill concentrate by decompression-concentrating the passing solution
Implementation Method 3
layer-separating the stationarily positioned mixture
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a method of preparing krill oil. A method of preparing krill oil may include providing a dried krill powder; obtaining an extract after adding spirits of wine to the dried krill powder; obtaining a passing solution from which salt and cholesterol are removed by passing the extract through a column; obtaining a krill concentrate by decompression-concentrating the passing solution; and obtaining krill oil by stationarily positioning a mixture obtained by adding spirits of wine to the krill concentrate, layer-separating the stationarily positioned mixture, extracting a supernatant of the layer-separated mixture, and concentrating the extracted supernatant.