Phospholipid Enriched Krill Composition via Alcohol Extraction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods for producing krill-based phospholipid compositions are expensive and hazardous, using specialty chemicals like supercritical carbon dioxide or harsh organic solvents, and result in low phospholipid content.

Innovation Solution

A method involving contacting a crude krill composition with alcohol to separate a phospholipid enriched layer from a non-phospholipid enriched layer, followed by isolating and removing the alcohol to obtain a high phospholipid enriched krill composition without the need for hazardous solvents.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional extraction methods using supercritical carbon dioxide or harsh organic solvents are used, then phospholipid compositions can be produced, but the process becomes expensive and hazardous

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesafetyVSAvoidhazardous solvents

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces expensive and hazardous specialty chemicals (supercritical carbon dioxide, hexane, heptane, acetone) with inexpensive, readily available food-grade alcohols (ethanol, isopropanol, n-propanol). These common alcohols achieve the same extraction function without the safety hazards and high costs of conventional solvents, directly resolving the contradiction between reliability/safety and harmful factors

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the chemical parameter of the extraction solvent from hazardous specialty chemicals to safe food-grade alcohols. This parameter change maintains extraction effectiveness while eliminating safety hazards and reducing costs, directly addressing the contradiction between reliability and harmful factors

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Quantity of substance

If conventional extraction methods are used, then krill compositions can be produced, but the phospholipid content remains low

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvephospholipid contentVSAvoidextraction efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent selectively extracts phospholipids from krill oil using food-grade alcohols, achieving superior separation of phospholipids from other krill oil components. The alcohol selectively solubilizes phospholipids, allowing them to be separated and concentrated to greater than 45% phospholipid content, directly resolving the contradiction between quantity of phospholipid and extraction efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a phospholipid-enriched fraction with concentrated phospholipid content greater than 45% through selective extraction. This local quality enhancement in the extracted fraction achieves high phospholipid concentration while maintaining efficient extraction, directly addressing the contradiction between phospholipid quantity and productivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Quantity of substance

If specialty chemicals are used for extraction, then phospholipid compositions can be isolated, but the process becomes expensive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvephospholipid isolationVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces expensive specialty chemicals (supercritical carbon dioxide, hexane, heptane, acetone) with inexpensive food-grade alcohols (ethanol, isopropanol, n-propanol) that are readily available and require no special handling infrastructure. This substitution dramatically reduces manufacturing costs while achieving the same phospholipid isolation function, directly resolving the contradiction between phospholipid isolation and manufacturing cost

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

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 method effectively increases the phospholipid content to above 45% in the isolated krill composition, improving efficiency and safety by eliminating the use of hazardous solvents, and allows for further processing to enhance flowability and stability.

Implementation Method 1

contacting a crude krill composition with an alcohol in an amount sufficient to provide a phospholipid enriched layer and a non-phospholipid enriched layer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLiquid-liquid extraction: Liquid-Liquid Extraction

Implementation Method 2

removing the alcohol from the phospholipid enriched layer to provide an isolated phospholipid enriched krill composition

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Data Source

PatentUS11352380B2Methods for the preparation of phospholipid enriched krill compositions

Publication Date: 2022.06.07 AVOCA LLC

AI summary

The disclosure provides a method of obtaining an isolated phospholipid enriched krill composition. The method includes a) contacting a crude krill composition with an alcohol in an amount sufficient to provide a phospholipid enriched layer and a non-phospholipid enriched layer; b) forming a phospholipid enriched layer and a non-phospholipid enriched layer, wherein the phospholipid enriched layer is above the non-phospholipid enriched layer; c) isolating the phospholipid enriched layer and the non-phospholipid enriched layer; and d) removing the alcohol from the phospholipid enriched layer to provide an isolated phospholipid enriched krill composition.