FAT BLEND SUITABLE FOR INFANT NUTRITION

Abstract

Fat blend comprising (i) 20-65 wt % of a vegetable lipid source and (ii) 35-80 wt % of a milk fat composition comprising at least one bovine milk fat fraction, wherein the milk fat composition comprises, relative to total fatty acid moieties, 37-48 mol % of long chain saturated fatty acid moieties with 12-18 carbon atoms (LCSFA C12:0-C18:0) and wherein 28-43 mol % of all fatty acid moieties positioned on the sn-1,3 position of the glycerol backbone in said milk fat composition are long chain saturated fatty acid moieties with 12-18 carbon atoms (LCSFA C12:0-C18:0).

Claims

1. Fat blend comprising: 20-65 wt % of a vegetable lipid source and 35-80 wt % of a milk fat composition comprising at least one bovine milk fat fraction, wherein the milk fat composition comprises, relative to total fatty acid moieties, 37-48 mol % of long chain saturated fatty acid moieties with 12-18 carbon atoms (LCSFA C12:0-C18:0) and wherein 28-43 mol % of all fatty acid moieties positioned on the sn-1,3 position of the glycerol backbone in said milk fat composition are long chain saturated fatty acid moieties with 12-18 carbon atoms (LCSFA C12:0-C18:0).

2. Fat blend according to claim 1 wherein the milk fat composition consists of one bovine milk fat fraction and wherein 32-40 mol %, preferably 32-38 mol % of all fatty acid moieties positioned on the sn-1,3 position of the glycerol backbone in said milk fat fraction are long chain saturated fatty acid moieties with 12-18 carbon atoms (LCSFA C12:0-C18:0).

3. Fat blend according to claim 1 wherein the milk fat composition is a mixture of two or more bovine milk fat fractions.

4. Fat blend according to claim 1 wherein the milk fat composition is a mixture of (i) at least one milk fat fraction and (ii) anhydrous milk fat and/or ghee, preferably a mixture of at least one milk fat fraction and anhydrous milk fat, said anhydrous milk fat preferably bovine anhydrous milk fat.

5. Fat blend according to claim 1 wherein the milk fat fraction is obtained by a crystallization fractionation method, and preferably is the O-, OO-, OOO-, or OOOO-fraction, more preferably the OO-, OOO-, or OOOO-fraction, even more preferably the OOO- or OOOO-fraction, and most preferably the OOOO-fraction obtainable by dry fractionation of milk fat.

6. Fat blend according to claim 1 wherein the milk fat composition has a butyric acid content of 8-15 mol %, more preferably 12-15 mol %, and most preferably 13-15 mol %.

7. Fat blend according to claim 1 comprising 40-80 wt %, preferably 50-80 wt %, more preferably 55-78 wt %, and most preferably 70-75 wt % of said milk fat composition.

8. Fat blend according to claim 1 wherein the vegetable lipid source is selected from soy bean oil, (high oleic) sunflower oil, canola oil, (high oleic) rapeseed oil, ground nut oil, cotton seed oil, maize oil, olive oil, (high oleic) safflower oil, sesame oil, rice bran oil, evening primrose oil, borage oil, flax seed oil, palm oil, palm olein, palm stearin, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, and babassu oil, preferably from soy bean oil, canola oil, (high oleic) sunflower oil, (high oleic) safflower oil, coconut oil, and (high oleic) rapeseed oil.

9. Fat blend according to claim 1 wherein the blend is free from palm oils and components synthesized with or derived from palm oils.

10. Fat blend according to claim 1 having a total content of long chain saturated fatty acid moieties with 12-18 carbon atoms (LCSFA C12:0-C18:0) of 22-35 mol %, preferably 25-32 mol %.

11. Fat blend according to claim 1 wherein the total butyric acid content (C4:0) of the fat blend is in the range 4-12 mol %, preferably 6-12 mol %, most preferably 7-11 mol %.

12. Nutritional composition comprising, based on dry weight of the nutritional composition, 15-33 wt %, preferably 20-30 wt %, and most preferably 21-28 wt % of the fat blend of claim 1, the nutritional composition preferably being an infant formula, a follow-on formula, or a growing-up formula.

13. Nutritional composition comprising the fat blend according to claim 1, the nutritional composition being an infant formula, a follow-on formula, or a growing-up formula.

Description

EXAMPLE

[0049] Milk fat fractions were prepared by a multi-step dry fractionation process according to the Tirtiaux process. In the first step, AMF was melted to a temperature of about 55-58 C., which is about 20 C. above its final melting temperature. This was done to erase crystal memory. Subsequently, the molten AMF was cooled down to a temperature of about 30 C. in a double jacket crystallizer equipped with a stirring device and cooling surfaces. As a result of the cooling down, a part of the molten AMF crystallized. The remaining liquid fraction (O) and a crystal slurry (S, to which some olein adhered) where separated by filtration.

[0050] The O-fraction had a final melting temperature of about 21 C.

[0051] Subsequently, the liquid fraction (O) was subjected to a second dry fractionation step. In this step, the liquid fraction was first heated to about 60 C. and then cooled to a temperature of about 22 C. Part of the oil crystallized. The remaining liquid (OO) and a crystal slurry (OS, to which some olein adhered) were separated by filtration. The OO-fraction had a final melting temperature of about 17 C.

[0052] The OO fraction was subjected to a third dry fractionation step, resulting in an OOO and a OOS fraction. The OOO fraction was subjected to a fourth dry fractionation step, resulting in an OOOO and an OOOS fraction. The melting points of the OOO and the OOOO fractions were respectively 12 and 6 C.

[0053] The fatty acid content of the different fractions was determined using ISO 15884/IDF 182:2002 (Milk fatPreparation of fatty acid methyl esters) and ISO 15885/IDF 184 (Milk fatDetermination of the fatty acid composition by gas-liquid chromatography). The distribution of fatty acids over the glycerol backbone is determined by using enzymatic transesterification with an immobilized Candida Antartica Lipase (JOCS/AOCS Official method Ch 3a-19). In short, the sn-1,3 fatty acids are hydrolysed and the sn-2 fatty acids are isolated by solid phase extraction and converted to FAME using base-catalysed methanolysis. The individual FAME are separated by GC analysis using split injection and flame ionization detection. The sn-1,3 fatty acid (FA_sn13) composition is calculated from the total molar fatty acid (FA_total) composition and the molar sn-2 fatty acid (FA_sn2) composition using the equation:

[00002]$\mathrm{FA\_sn13}=\left(3^{}\mathrm{FA\_total}-\mathrm{FA\_sn2}\right)/2$

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Milk fat fractions AMF S OS OOOO Total LCSFA content (mol %) 50.7 64.5 52.0 38.4 sn-1,3 LCSFA on total sn-1,3 (mol %) 44.4 58.6 41.6 33.0 Total C4:0 content (mol %) 11.7 7.10 14.7 13.8

[0054] The OOOO milk fat fraction (55 g) was heated to 40 C. and blended with a 45% vegetable lipids mixture consisting of sunflower oil (16.6 wt %), rapeseed oil (10.7 wt %), high oleic sunflower oil (8.9 wt %), palm oil (3.7%), and coconut oil (5.3 wt %), resulting in a fat blend according to the invention.

[0055] As a reference, a similar blend was prepared using AMF instead of the OOOO milk fat fraction. The fatty acid characteristics of the fat blends are displayed in Table 2.

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 OOOO blend AMF blend Total LCSFA content (mol %) 29.8 36.5 sn-1,3 LCSFA (mol %) 28.4 34.7 Total C4:0 content (mol %) 7.7 6.5

[0056] In a similar way, a palm oil-free fat blend can be formulated with 55% AMF or a 55% OOOO-fraction, together with vegetable fat part consisting of sunflower oil (22.9%), rapeseed oil (11.5%), high oleic sunflower oil (9.4%), and coconut oil (1.4%). The fatty acid characteristics of the palm oil-free fat blends are displayed in Table 3.

TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 OOOO blend AMF blend Total LCSFA content (mol %) 25.8 32.6 sn-1,3 LCSFA (mol %) 24.5 30.7 Total C4:0 content (mol %) 7.7 6.5