CA2152153C

CA2152153C - New oleaginous food supplement and process for preparing the same

Info

Publication number: CA2152153C
Application number: CA002152153A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Yves Ponroy
Original assignee: Institut de Recherche Biologique
Current assignee: Institut de Recherche Biologique
Priority date: 1995-06-19
Filing date: 1995-06-19
Publication date: 2005-01-11
Anticipated expiration: 2015-06-19
Also published as: CA2152153A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to the domain of dietetics and more particularly to the domain of food for pregnant or breast-feeding women.
A more particular subject of the invention is nutritional supplements for pregnant or breast-feeding women, which contain a plant source of fatty acids, added to or mixed with one or more inert, solid or liquid food supports, allowing administration in a dosed form.
The invention describes nutritional supplements for pregnant or breast-feeding women, of which the plant source of di-, tri- or tetra unsaturated fatty acids of the n-6 series and the n-3 series is constituted by an oil rich in such acids such as for example an oil from seeds of the Ribes species, and in particular blackcurrant seed oil, redcurrant seed oil or gooseberry seed oil.
Use in dietetics.

Description

- 1 _ The present invention relates to the domain of dietetics. It relates in particular to the domain of food for pregnant or breast-feeding women.
A particular subject of the invention is nutritional supplements for pregnant or breast feeding women characterized in that they are constituted by a plant source of di-, tri- or tetra unsaturated fatty acids of the n-6 series and the n 3 series, which are added to or mixed with one or more inert liquid or solid food supports, allowing administration in a dosed form.
Preferably, the plant source of di-, tri-or tetra-unsaturated fatty acids is constituted by an oil rich in such acids such as for example an oil from seeds of the Ribes species, such as blackcurrant seed oil, redcurrant seed oil or gooseberry seed oil.
Concentrates of these fatty acids can also be used as has been shown in the French Patent

2,637,910, in which the extraction of Ribes seeds with supercritical fluid and fractional separation of the different fractions of fatty acids are described.
The oils from fruit seeds of the Ribes species differ clearly from other plant oils such as evening primrose oil (Oenothera lamarckiana) or borage oil (Borrago sp.) which contain a small amount of alpha-linolenic acid (18 n-3), very little stearidonic acid (18:4 n-3) and a lot of y-linolenic acid.
Also according to the same criteria, the oils of Ribes seeds can be differentiated from other plant oils (rapeseed, nut, Soya, linseed) which only contain as essential fatty acids, linoleic acid (18:3 n-6) and alpha-linolenic acid (18:3 n-3).
This is why the oils of Ribes seeds have the great advantage of containing, in addition to the two essential fatty acids of the n-6 and n-3 series (linoleic and alpha-linolenic), the two higher homologous fatty acids (y-linolenic acid and stearidonic acid), such that the cost of the 06-desaturase route is lightened, whereas this intervention is often a limiting factor in the synthesis of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids such as arachidonic acid (20:4 n-6) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA or 22:6 n-3).
The presence of a large quantity of polyunsaturated fatty acids of the n-3 series (from to 35~), therefore gives the oils of Ribes seeds dietetic advantages that the other oils do not have.
In fact, the nutritional needs of pregnant 15 women or breast-feeding women are quite specific since they must on the one hand allow the foetus to develop, and on the other hand provide a suitable composition for the mothers's milk.
These supplies have been widely studied in terms of calorific value, provision of basic nutriments (lipids, protids, glucides), provision of mineral salts and provision of trace elements.
However, more recent data has made it possible to state that up to now, the specific essential fatty acid requirements of very young children was not very well known and this lack of knowledge was likely to lead to states of deficiency in newborn babies.
It has been possible to prove, in particular, that in order to ensure the development of the brain, the child needs a sufficient supply of arachidonic acid (C20:4 n-6) and of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA C22:6 n-3). These two essential fatty acids are necessary for the brain, that is to say that a deficiency generates lesions and retardation at the level of the development of the cognitive functions, sight and hearing (Crawford M. Am. J.

- 3 -Clin. Nutr. (1993) 57(suppl.) p.703-710; Koletko B.
Europ. J. Clin. Nutr. 46(suppl.l) p.51-52).
In order to provide a sufficient supply of these two fatty acids at the level of the placenta for the foetus, and in the mother's milk for the unweaned infant, the mother must find, in her food, a correct and balanced supply of their metabolic precursors:
- linoleic acid - 'y-linolenic acid - alpha-linolenic acid - stearidonic acid Now, this supply, if it is of sufficient quality, is often unbalanced by an excess of linoleic acid (Clg:2 n-6) which is found in abundance in commercial vegetable oils such as corn or sunflower oil. This excessive consumption of a Clg:2 n-6 acid can lead to the inhibition, by a significant factor (of the order of 4), of the conversion of this acid into higher fatty acids.
Also, in the presence of such an excess, the conversion of the Clg:3 n-3 acids is reduced by a factor of 3 (Guesnet Ph. Cahier Nutr. Diet. XXVIIII
Vol. 1 (1993) p. 19-25).
Consequently, too high a consumption of sunflower oil or corn oil can lead paradoxically to a deficiency of arachidonic acid and DHA in foetuses and in unweaned infants which are being breast-fed.
In addition, it has been determined that it is during the first few weeks of embryogenic development that the divisions of the nerve cells are the most intense and that the needs of the foetus's brain are the greatest. These are points in favour of the dispensing to pregnant women of food supplements from the start of gestation, and even from the time they decide they want to become mothers.

4 A recent study, carried out in FRANCE, enabled the milk of 41 women spread over three regions of FRANCE to be analyzed (Durand G., Europ.
J. Clin. Nutr. in press). This study reveals that the milk of French women is relative lacking in Clg:3 n-6 acids (0.6~ fatty acids) but is relatively over rich in Clg:2 n-6 acid (13~).
The ratio Clg:2 n-6 Clg:3 n-6 is of the order of 20, that is to say among the highest in WESTERN EUROPE.
Therefore, the provision of a nutritional supplement of specific fatty acids to pregnant women or to breast-feeding women seems to be highly desirable.
Among the plant oils currently available on the market, it appears that the oils obtained from Ribes fruit seeds have a useful fatty acid content. There can be mentioned in particular gooseberry seeds (Ribes uva crispa), blackcurrant seeds (gibes nigrum) and redcurrant seeds (gibes rubrum) .
The seeds of these fruits contain about 20~ of oil which is rich (25~) in polyunsaturated fatty acids of the n-6 and n-3 series.
In this case, redcurrant seed (gibes rubrum) oil is n- 6 preferred, which has a better n-3 ratio close to 1.4 whereas this ratio is of the order of 4 for blackcurrant seed (gibes nigrum) oil.
However, a mixture of two or more oils can also be used.
The simultaneous presence of alpha-linolenic and stearidonic acids is of prime importance since they are the preferred precursors of docosahexaenoic acid which is essential for the development of the central nervous system.
Therefore, the present invention relates to nutritional supplements containing an effective quantity of at least one Ribes seed oil, mixed with or added to an inert support or vehicle, intended for pregnant women or for breast-feeding women, in order to favour cerebral maturation in a physiological manner.
The present invention also relates to a process for the production of a nutritional supplement for pregnant or breast-feeding women, having a high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids of n-6 and n-3 series and a low content of mono- or di-unsaturated fatty acids of n-6 series. The process of the invention comprises mixing a fraction or a concentrate of Ribes seed oil containing polyunsaturated fatty acids of n-6 series and n-3 series in a n-6/n-3 ratio between 1.4 and 4, with a physiologically acceptable vehicle.
In the supplements according to the invention, the Ribes seed oils are dispersed or included in an inert mineral support which enables these supplements to be obtained in the form of powders, granules or bars. The oil can also be dispersed in an aqueous vehicle in the form of an oil-in-water or water-in-oil emulsion by the addition of a suitable surfactant. In this way aromatized or non-aromatized milks, micro-emulsions, and dispersions can be formed. The oils can also be formulated in the form of liposomes by dissolving the oil in an organic solvent non-miscible in water, which has lecithin or cholesterol added to it, then by dispersing it in water.
The solvent is evaporated to obtain a thin film which is taken up in an aqueous medium containing a non-ionic surfactant and agitation is - 5a -carried out until a homogeneous emulsion is formed.
After production of such an emulsion and verification of its stability, the emulsion can be diluted with an additional quantity of water.

5 The pulverulent forms can be aromatized, sweetened, have a gelatinizing agent and/or a binding agent and/or an inert diluting agent added to them in order to produce a perfectly fluid preparation.
10 For the stability of such preparations, stabilizing agents and in particular anti-oxidizing agents can be added to them.

- 6 -2152i53 The preparations thus produced can, in addition, have vitamin factors added to them such as vitamin E, folic acid, vitamin B12 and/or mineral salts such as iron in order to make up for certain specific deficiencies in pregnant or breast-feeding women.
For the convenience of ingestion, the pulverulent preparations are packaged in gelatin capsules containing 200 to 600 mg of Ribes fruit seed oils, diluted in an inert food excipient or diluting agent.

The following examples illustrate the invention without however limiting it:

EXAMPLE I

- Redcurrant seed oil 250 g - Alpha-tocopherol 0.5 g - Bentonite 6 g - Calcium carbonate 12 g - Tricalcium phosphate 12 g - Microcrystalline cellulose 18 g - Talc 1.5 g for 1000 gelatin capsules with an average weight of 0.300 g.

EXAMPLE II

- Redcurrant seed oil 400 g - Autolysate of brewer's yeast 6 g - Colloidal silica marketed under the trademark Aerosil 200 25 g - Alpha-tocopherol 0.75 g - Calcium carbonate 5 g - Ferrous gluconate 8.25 g - Carbomer sold under the trademark Carbopol 934 4 g - Water 60 g for 1000 soft capsules with an average weight of 0.500 g.

EXAMPLE III

.
- ~ _ - Blackcurrant seed oil 40 g - Copolymer of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide marketed under the trademark Pluronic F18 20 g - Autolysate of brewer's yeast 6 g , - Ascorbyl palmitate 0.5 g - Calcium carbonate 5 g - Ferrous gluconate 4.5 g - Manganese gluconate 2.5 g - Cobalt gluconate 2.5 g - Polyethyleneglycol stearate 5 g - Purified water sqf 1000 ml of emulsion 10 ml of emulsion corresponds to 0.400 g of blackcurrant seed oil.

EXAMPLE IV

- Redcurrant seed oil (or failing this blackcurrant seed oil) 50 g - Folic acid 0.5 g - Vitamin B12 0.06 g - Ferrous ascorbate 1.50 g - Vitamin E 0.25 g - Polyethyleneglycol stearate 5 g - Purified water sqf 1000 ml 1 ml of emulsion corresponds to 0.050 g of redcurrant seed oil (or failing this blackcurrant seed oil) .

Claims

The embodiments of the invention, in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. Use of oils extracted from fruit seeds of the Ribes species, for producing a nutritional supplement for foetus-bearing women to overcome nutritional deficiencies of the foetus.

2. Use according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said oils contains polyunsaturated fatty acids of n-6 series and n-3 series in a n-6/n-3 ratio between 1.4 and 4.

3. Use according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said oils contains linolenic acid (18:2 n-6), .alpha.-linolenic acid (18:3 n-6), .alpha.-linolenic acid (18:3 n-3) and linolenic acid (18:4 n-3).

4. Use according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein at least one of said oils is mixed with a physiologically acceptable vehicle.

5. Use according to claim 4, wherein said vehicle is an inert mineral support, whereby the mixture is in the form of a solid preparation.

6. Use according to claim 4, wherein said vehicle is in admixture with at least one additive selected from the group consisting of linolenic agents, binding agents and inert diluting agents.

7. Use according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein at least one of said oils is emulsified with water in the presence of a surfactant to form an emulsion.

8. Use according to claim 7, wherein said emulsion is an oil-in-water emulsion.

9. Use according to claim 7, wherein said emulsion is a water-in-oil emulsion.

10. Use according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein at least one of said oils is formulated in the form of liposomes after dissolution in an organic solvent containing cholesterol or lecithin, evaporation of the solvent and mixing with an aqueous vehicle.

11. Use according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the nutritional supplement further contains a stabilizing agent.

12. Use according to claim 11, wherein said stabilizing agent is an anti-oxidizing agent.

13. Use according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the nutritional supplement further contains at least one vitamin factor or mineral salt.

14. Use according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the nutritional supplement contains 200 to 600 mg of said oils, per unit dose.

15. Use according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein said oils are selected from the group consisting of gooseberry seed oil, blackcurrant seed oil and redcurrant seed oil.