Methods for improving yields of a polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) oil containing product using multiple centrifugation steps

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11725221-B2
Application number	US-201816636940-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 9, 2018
Priority date	Aug 10, 2017
Publication date	Aug 15, 2023
Grant date	Aug 15, 2023

Abstract

This invention relates to a method of using a two-step serial centrifugation process in extracting nutritive oil from a fermentation broth, this novel method prevents oil yield losses while preserving product quality.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of improving product yield of a polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) oil containing product, wherein the method comprises:
(a) directing a PUFA oil-containing fermentation broth to a first centrifuge and subjecting the PUFA oil-containing fermentation broth to a first centrifugation step within the first centrifuge to form a first centrifuged product comprised of a first light phase and a first heavy phase;
(b) separating the first light phase from the first heavy phase in the first centrifuged product by making a first separation cut of the first centrifuged product into the first heavy phase below an interface between the first light phase and the first heavy phase thereof;
(c) discarding the first heavy phase separated from the first centrifuged product and directing the first light phase separated from the first centrifuged product to a second centrifuge;
(d) subjecting the first light phase separated from the first centrifuged product to a second centrifugation step in the second centrifuge to form a second centrifuged product comprised of a second light phase and a second heavy phase;
(e) separating the second light phase from the second heavy phase in the second centrifuged product by making a second separation cut of the second centrifuged product in the second light phase close to an interface between the second light phase and the second heavy phase thereof;
(f) retaining the second light phase separated from the second centrifuged product and recycling the second heavy phase obtained from the second centrifuged product to fresh PUFA oil-containing fermentation broth to be directed to the first centrifuge.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the PUFA oil yield of the second light phase is greater than 88%.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein step (a) comprises the steps of:
(a1) adding the fermentation broth to a vessel;
(a2) adding a component to the fermentation broth to facilitate breaking of emulsion formation;
(a3) heating the vessel; and
(a4) pumping the fermentation broth to a first centrifuge.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the component in step (a2) is an enzyme or sodium hydroxide.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein in step (a3) comprises heating the vessel to a temperature selected from the group consisting of at least 40° C., at least 50° C., at least 60° C., at least 70° C., at least 75° C., at least 80° C., at least 85° C., at least 90° C., and at least 95° C.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein PUFA oil yield of the second light phase is greater than 88%.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein PUFA oil yield of the second light phase is greater than 92%.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein PUFA oil yield of the second light phase is greater than 95%.

9. The method according to claim 3 , wherein step (c) comprises the step of pumping the first light phase from the first centrifuge into the second centrifuge.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the process comprises repeating the steps (a)-(f) at least one time.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the process comprises repeating the steps (a)-(f) two more times.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the process comprises repeating the steps (a)-(f) three more times.

Assignees

• Dsm Ip Assets Bv
• Evonik Operations Gmbh

Inventors

• Leininger Neil Francis
• Pfeifer Holger
• Tinsley David Allen
• Lebert Jochen
• Beiser Marc

Classifications

• C12P7/6472 Primary

  containing polyunsaturated fatty acid [PUFA] residues, i.e. having two or more double bonds in their backbone · CPC title

• A23D9/04

  Working-up · CPC title

• A23L33/12

  Fatty acids or derivatives thereof · CPC title

• B01D21/262

  by using a centrifuge · CPC title

• C11B1/10

  by extracting · CPC title