An improved pasteurisation protocol for pasteurising microbial cells is disclosed. The protocol has three stages, a first heating stage, a second plateau stage at which the cells are held at a (maximum and) constant temperature, and a third cooling stage. Both the heating and the cooling stages are rapid, with the temperature of the cells passing through 40 to 80° C. in no more than 30 minutes in the heating stage. The heating rate is at least 0.5° C./minute and during cooling is at least −0.5° C./minute. The plateau maximum temperature is from 70 to 85° C. By plotting the pasteurisation protocol on a time (t, minutes) versus temperature (T, ° C.) graph, one obtains a trapezium having an area less than 13,000° C. minute. Not only does this result in a smaller energy input (and so a reduction in costs), but a better quality (and less oxidised) oil results having a peroxide value (POV) of less than 1.5 and an anisidine value (AnV) of less than 1.0.

The invention provides recombinant host organisms genetically modified with a polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) synthase system and one or more accessory proteins that allow for and/or improve the production of PUFAs in the host organism. The present invention also relates to methods of making and using such organisms as well as products obtained from such organisms.

Disclosed herein are host cells transformed with a nucleic acid molecule comprising a polynucleotide sequence, wherein the polynucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide that hydrolyzes an ester linkage of a triacylglycerol in an oil comprising at least one long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid, methods for using such host cells, and processes for production of a lipase using such host cells.

The disclosure pertains to a method for the production of triacylglycerides (TAGs or Triacylglyerols) and fatty acids by the recombinant expression of a Δ11 fatty acid desaturase in protists.

This disclosure provides methods for the chemical modification of triglycerides that are highly enriched in specific fatty acids and subsequent use thereof for producing functionally versatile polymers.

The present invention provides a method of producing a composition containing docosahexaenoic acid as a constituent fatty acid of glycerides. The method includes hydrolyzing a feedstock oil containing glycerides, the glycerides including docosahexaenoic acid as a constituent fatty acid, by action of a first lipase and a second lipase, to increase the proportion of docosahexaenoic acid in glyceride fractions. The first lipase is at least one lipase selected from the group consisting of a lipase obtained from a microorganism of the genus Thermomyces, a lipase obtained from a microorganism of the genus Pseudomonas, a lipase obtained from a microorganism of the genus Burkholderia, and a lipase obtained from a microorganism of the genus Alcaligenes. The second lipase is a partial glyceride lipase.

The present invention provides a method of producing a composition containing docosahexaenoic acid as a constituent fatty acid of glycerides. The method includes hydrolyzing a feedstock oil containing glycerides, the glycerides including docosahexaenoic acid as a constituent fatty acid, by action of a first lipase and a second lipase, to increase the proportion of docosahexaenoic acid in glyceride fractions. The first lipase is at least one lipase selected from the group consisting of a lipase obtained from a microorganism of the genus Thermomyces, a lipase obtained from a microorganism of the genus Pseudomonas, a lipase obtained from a microorganism of the genus Burkholderia, and a lipase obtained from a microorganism of the genus Alcaligenes. The second lipase is a partial glyceride lipase.

The invention relates generally to methods and compositions concerning desaturase enzymes that modulate the number and location of double bonds in long chain poly-unsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA's). In particular, the invention relates to methods and compositions for improving omega-3 fatty acid profiles in plant products and parts using desaturase enzymes and nucleic acids encoding for such enzymes. In particular embodiments, the desaturase enzymes are Primula Δ6-desaturases. Also provided are improved soybean oil compositions having SDA and a beneficial overall content of omega-3 fatty acids relative to omega-6 fatty acids.

The invention relates generally to the expression of desaturase enzymes in transgenic corn plants and compositions derived therefrom. In particular, the invention relates to the production of oils with improved omega-3 fatty acid profiles in corn plants and the seed oils produced thereby. Such oils may contain stearidonic acid, which is not naturally found in corn plants and has been shown to have beneficial effects on health.

The present invention relates to methods for the conversion of the substrate specificity of desaturases. Specifically, the present invention pertains to a method for the conversion of the substrate specificity of a Δ5 and/or Δ6 desaturase to the substrate specificity of a Δ4 desaturase, the method comprising: identifying regions and/or amino acid residues which control the substrate specificity of (i) the Δ5 and/or Δ6 desaturase and (ii) the Δ4 desaturase; and replacing in the amino acid sequence of the mentioned Δ5 and/or Δ6 desaturase, the regions and/or amino acid residues which control the substrate specificity of the Δ5 and/or Δ6 desaturase, by the corresponding regions and/or amino acid residues which control the substrate specificity of the Δ4 desaturase, thereby converting the substrate specificity of the Δ5 and/or Δ6 desaturase to the substrate specificity of the Δ4 desaturase. The present invention further concerns a method for the conversion of the substrate specificity of a Δ4 desaturase to the substrate specificity of a Δ5 and/or Δ6 desaturase, the method comprising: identifying regions and/or amino acid residues which control the substrate specificity of (i) the Δ4 desaturase and (ii) the Δ5 and/or Δ6 desaturase; and replacing in the amino acid sequence of the indicated Δ4 desaturase, the regions and/or amino acid residues which control the substrate specificity of the Δ4 desaturase, by the corresponding regions and/or amino acid residues which control the substrate specificity of the Δ5 and/or Δ6 desaturase, thereby converting the substrate specificity of the Δ4 desaturase to the substrate specificity of the Δ5 and/or Δ6 desaturase. In addition, the invention encompasses desaturases with converted substrate specificity.