Nutritional composition having lipophilic compounds with improved solubility and bioavailability
Inventors
Johns, Paul • Vurma, Mustafa • Albrecht, Daniel • DeMichele, Stephen • Katz, Gary • Reddy, Todime
Assignees
Interested in licensing this patent?
MTEC can help explore whether this patent might be available for licensing for your application.
Publication Number
US-12628856-B2
Publication Date
2026-05-19
Expiration Date
Abstract
Disclosed herein is a nutritional composition having at least one protein, at least one fat, and at least one lipophilic compound, the composition comprising at least one assembly comprising at least one hydrophobic protein, monoglycerides and diglycerides (“MDG”) and at least one lipophilic compound, wherein at least 1% of the total MDG in the nutritional composition remains in the aqueous phase after centrifugation at 100,000×g for 1 hour at 20° C.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a nutritional composition as an emulsion having an aqueous phase and a lipid phase. The lipid phase includes triglycerides, while the aqueous phase includes a carbohydrate and assemblies. The assemblies comprise a vitamin comprising one or more of vitamins A, D, E, or K, a hydrophobic protein, a phospholipid, and a monoglyceride and diglyceride oil (MDG oil).
The composition is characterized by retention of assemblies in the aqueous phase, such that at least 5% of the assemblies remains in the aqueous phase after centrifugation at 31,000×g for one hour at 20°C. The disclosed assemblies are water-soluble assemblies in the aqueous phase and function as aqueous-phase complexes incorporating vitamins, phospholipids, MDG oil, and hydrophobic proteins.
The invention also includes a method of preparing the nutritional composition by forming a premix containing a vitamin comprising one or more of vitamins A, D, E, and K, a phospholipid, and MDG oil, where the premix contains less than 20% by weight triglycerides. The premix is combined with a protein-in-water slurry containing one or more hydrophobic proteins to form water-soluble assemblies, and the resulting mixture is emulsified to produce a liquid nutritional composition having an aqueous phase and a lipid phase in which at least a portion of the assemblies remain in the aqueous phase.
Claims Coverage
Two independent claims are present: one directed to a nutritional composition and one directed to a method of preparing that nutritional composition. The claims define two inventive features centered on assemblies containing vitamin, hydrophobic protein, phospholipid, and MDG oil, together with measurable aqueous-phase retention after centrifugation and a premix-to-assembly preparation sequence.
Emulsified nutritional assemblies with aqueous retention after centrifugation
A nutritional composition as an emulsion of an aqueous phase and a lipid phase, where the lipid phase includes triglycerides and the aqueous phase includes a carbohydrate and assemblies comprising a vitamin comprising one or more of vitamins A, D, E, or K, a hydrophobic protein, a phospholipid, and an MDG oil, wherein at least 5% of the assemblies remains in the aqueous phase after centrifugation at 31,000×g for one hour at 20°C.
Premix-to-assembly formation using less than 20% triglycerides followed by emulsification
A method of preparing a nutritional composition by mixing a vitamin comprising one or more of vitamins A, D, E, and K, a phospholipid, and an MDG oil to form a premix containing less than 20% by weight triglycerides; combining the premix with a protein-in-water slurry containing one or more hydrophobic proteins to form water-soluble assemblies comprising the vitamin, the phospholipid, the MDG oil, and the one or more hydrophobic proteins; combining with one or more additional nutritional components including triglycerides; and emulsifying to produce a liquid nutritional composition having an aqueous phase and a lipid phase in which at least a portion of the assemblies remain in the aqueous phase.
The claim set centers on emulsion compositions containing assemblies of vitamin, phospholipid, MDG oil, and hydrophobic proteins that exhibit defined aqueous-phase retention after centrifugation, and on a preparation method that first forms a vitamin/phospholipid/MDG premix with low triglycerides, then forms water-soluble assemblies with hydrophobic proteins, and emulsifies with triglyceride-containing components to maintain assemblies in the aqueous phase.
Stated Advantages
Increases the bioavailability of a vitamin compared with the same nutritional composition lacking MDG oil.
At least 5% of the assemblies remains in the aqueous phase after centrifugation at 31,000×g for one hour at 20°C.
MDG increases protein and bound lipophilic compound levels in the aqueous phase versus controls without MDG/protein.
Documented Applications
Using the nutritional composition to increase the bioavailability of a vitamin compared with a composition without MDG oil in a subject.
Centrifugation testing of the nutritional composition for retention of assemblies in the aqueous phase after high-speed centrifugation.
Interested in licensing this patent?