GB2214051A - EPA/DHA/Chocolate-type unit dosage forms - Google Patents

Description

F,DIBLF, pRODUCTS L 1 221405 1

FIELD 017 WE INVENTION: 1he invehLion relates to a product of acceptable taste, which contains a large percentage of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). and/or docosallexaerioic acid (LAIA) in edible unit dosage form. The compositions of the invention are -characterized by an appreciable antithrombotic and by an antiarteriosclerotic activity. The compositions of the invention provide, per unit dosage form at least a third of Lhe daily requirements of polyunsaturated acids of the EPA and UIA type, and preferably between half to the full daily requirement of these. 1he composition comprises a core containing the EPA and DIIA enriched fish oil and lecithin im a chocolate like matrix, advantageously containing also air anLioxidant, said core being coated with a tasty outer coa ti n g. BACKGROUND or 111E INVEVION: it is well-known that fish oils having a high content of eicosapentaenoic acid (EI)A) and/or docosahexaenoic acid (111A) exhibit an antithrombotic and air antiarteriosclerotic activity and are useful for the prevention and/or treaLmeiiL of vaSCUlar diseases in general. Several examples of such fish oil compositions are described in U.S. Patent 4,564,475.

It is well-known that lecithin, of natural or syrithetic origin, and lecithin mixed with fish oil having a high content of EPA and/or DIIA exhibiL a high anLithrombotic arid antiarteriosclerotic activity arid are therefore useful for the preventioti and treatment of vascular diseases. European Patent Application No. 85112675.5, published May 14, 198G as Publication No. 0180786, describes several examples of such compositions.

k Such compositions ai-e adillinislei-ed in the form or capsules, gels', tablets or symps. When administered in the form of capsules, the requited daily dosage usually c(.xiipt-ises 6 to 12 capsules, each of 1 gi-am. Taking the daily dosage in capsule form is, therefore, inconvenient and quite unpleasatil. laking such pt-epai-alions in liquid form is riot paiticulai-ly enjoyable because of the bad taste and bad odour of the fish oil ingredient.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION: It is Llie main object of the invention to piovide compositions having a high LPA and DHA content, in combination with lecithin, in a tasty, palatable fut,iii, which is or impo)-Lance to civown-ups and especially lo ch i 1 di-e n. Vie compositions of the invention ar.e provided in unit dosage forill, each or which pi-ovides an appreciable liet,cetitage of the daily requirement of tile above ingiedients. Moi-e specifically, the invention provides all edible pi-oduct of l-eadily acceptable taste, in unit dosage form which pr-ovides an appreciable percentage of the daily i-equivement of highly polyunsaturated acids of the EPA and DIIA type in the foi-m of enriched fish oil, the product compi-ising a chocolate like coi-e which contains such fish oil and lecithin, said com being coated wiLh a tasty chocolate layer. The unit dosage fonii will pi-ovide at least one thh-d of Lhe daily i-equirement of the polyunsaturated oils, and prefet-ably from half to the full daily requirement. It is prefet-red to use fish oil enriched to a content of at least 25 weighL per- cent of EPA and NIA, and it has been found possible to pr-epare fish oil having a content of 30 or even more weight per cent of cmitbined EPA and UIA, such concenLration i-eaching up to about 50 weight per cent. The use or such highly enriched fish oil makes possible to prepare unit dosage forms of decreased overall weight.

1 A -,I, 1 It is gellerit'lly accepted thal the dally i-equiremeni fur a grownup llulpall of LPA and MA is about 1 9. Ifie unil dosage rot-ms or Cite invention provide at least one third of this quantity and preferably one half to to Lite fu I I alliou If L. If fish oil enriched to a total content of 33 per ceiiL or combitied EPA wid DIIA is used, a quanti Ly of about 3 grams of such oi I is mqu-h-ed. Ill i s i s comb ined wi Lit all abouL equal quanLi Ly, about J grams ol- le(J Or in, u f it na Lura I ofat- Li I i t, i al swee.telli fig agelit, cocoa a tid ol 1 L i ona I ly va if i I I i it, an L i o x i daii L, f 1 it vo ri fly a ge 11 L e tc. I t has beell f0tilld Lhat a unit dosaye rorm of a total weighL of about 17 g will have the required daily content of EVA and DIIA, as well as lecithin, and will be or a readily ingestible LasLy form. When fish oil enrichod to a 50 per cent DIIA and EPA content is used, the ovet,all weight. call be i-educed. I-ut- children smaller dosage forms can be 1) ro v i de d. '1he lecithin LMerl,s iLs beneficial physioloyical effects arid also acts as emulsifier for, the chocolate preparation. The active ingredienLs are provided in a suitable shaped form (such as bar, sphere, X-.Yliilder, etc.) which constitute a chocolate like core. '11tis is coated with a tasty outer coathig with enhanced flavur, which serves to saturate the Laste as one starts to eat the composition. Accordhig to Life present invention, there is provided all edible product coillpt-ising a mixture of a risli oil ljivhiU a high content of eicosapentaenoic acid (LPA) 111(1/ol- (locosiliexaelloic acid (DIIA), a quantity of lecithin, all ailti- oxidaiiL, a sugar, and a quantity of a material producing, with the sugar- , solid, chocolate-resemb ling, matrix for the edible product. ptvferably, the matrix-producing material may be cocoa, but it may also be cal-ob powder such as used for- producing "lighL chocolate".

]lie resullitiq edible pi-oducl may thus take the form or a chocolate bar colitaii)iilg a daily or semi-daily dosage of Life fish oil, in which the jecithin riot only serves to enhatice life aiilittii-otiibutic alild citillai-tet.iosclerotic k 1 activity of the fish oil, but also acts as art emulsifier for the chocolate. Examples of fish oils having a high content of EPA and/or DIIA that may be used are described in the above-cited U.S. Patent 4,564,475; and examples of the natural or syntheLic lecithin that may be used are described in the above-cited European Patent Application 85112675.5.

Preferably, the (Itiantily of lecilhin present in the chocolate bar is approximately equal by weight to the quantity of enriched rish oil. In addition, the sugar preferably is or includes a quaintity of sorbitol approximaLely equal by weighl to the sum of the fish oil arid lecithin ingredients. flie ediOle producl prefrirably also iiicludps a flavouring, such as vanillin, peppermint, lemon, inerithol, or a mixture of two or more of such substances. The sugar preferably also includes zucrose, which may be present in an amount substantially equal to Ihe total quantily of the fish oil and lecithin ingredients. In addition, the anti- oxidant is preferably tocopherol. The invention also provides a method of making tile above edible product, comprising: melting Ihe sorbitul by Iteating to an elevated temperature of about 100-110o C, and maintaining it at a temperature of about 90-95 0 C with slirring; preparing an ermlsion by adding proLein powder to water, foaming the mixture, adding a part of the sucrose, slowly adding the fish oil and Locopherol, and mixing same for another 3-5 minutes; preparing a base pasLe by stirring the lecithin until it becomes "titilky", adding Ifie remainder of the sucrose, the cocoa, and vanillin, and mixing the mixture until it becomes a paste; adding the emulsion to the base paste while stirring; adding the sorbitol to the emulsion arid base paste, and thoroughly mixing while adding the flavouring to form a slurry; pouring the slurry into moulds and coiSling to solidification.

1 11 C 1 n Following is a)referred example of a formulation for making a EPA arid DIIA rich chocolate bar in accordance willi the present invention:

liú!ledietils Vish Oil (enriched to 33 weight-% in EPA and MA) Tocopherol Prolein (preferably egg prolein) Lecithin Sucrose (powder) Cocoa Vanillin Sorbi 10 1 Wa le r Flavouring conc. (preferably oi]-soluble) 9/100 gr product 14.50 0.02 0.75 14.50 29.70 5.80 0.20 29.00 4.20 1.10 Following is one example of the method of preparing a chocolate bat, of the above fortnulaLion, the percentages set forth being per total (100%) of the constituents by weight: 1. Sorbitol lhe sorbitol is melLed i1i a poL heated to 105 0 C and kept at 95o C while stirring. Emul s ion 1he waLvr is sLirmd in a mixer while Lhe proLein powder is added. AfLer foaming, a portion of the sucrose powder is added, and then the fish oil and tocopherol are added. The mixture is then mixed for another 3-5 minutes.

3. Base Paste The lecithin is added to a stirrer (11obart, etc.) and stirred until it becomes "milky". The remaining sucrose powder, and the cocoa and vanillin powders are added, and the mixture is mixed until it becomes a paste.

6 4.

5.

Aie emulsion is added to the base pasle while stirring. flie sorbitol liquid is added, arid while thoroughly mixing, the flavouring is added. Vie slut.-t.y is poured into bar moulds and cooled to eilable solidification. 7. Ihe bars are coated with a thin layer of coating chocolate. The so-prepared chocolate bars may be of a size to provide a daily dosag- of 1he Fish oil in tIii(-li (.itse the user ejo,il(l eat one bar a day, or to provide a semi-daily dosage in which case the user would eat two bars a day. Chocolate bars have been prepared in accordance with the above Formulation an(( inethod having a long shelf life, in the order of a year. Ue edible product may also be prepared in the form of a spread wi thout a swee Ii ng agent (e.g., mayonnaise), or in the fonii of a paste or flavouring (e.g., for waffles). lherefore, while the invention has been described with respect to one prel. i(.d (iiiljodiiii(?iil, it will be, apprecialed thal Iltis is set for-ifl merely for illustrative purposes, and thal many other variations and m odifications may be made.

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Claims (1)

1. CLAIMS: I - Ali edible product of readi ly acceptable. taste ill unit

   dosage form adapted to provide at least one third of We daily requirements of unsaturate( I acids of the EPA and DIIA type in the foriii of enriched fish oil or in purified form, leciLhin and a chocolate forming ingredients, in'the form-of a chocolate like core, which is coated with a tasty outer layer. 2. A product according to claim 1, where the fish oil is enriched to a EPA and DIIA content of at least 33 weight per cent, arid where the lecithin about e(jUalS Lhe weight of the enriched fish oil. 3. A pi-oducL according to claim I or 2, containing also air anLioxidailt, flavoring agent, cocoa arid sweetening agent.

   A product according to any of claims 1 to 3, which contains a q uatiLity of each of sorbiLol and sucrose equaling in weight about the quantity of fish oil and lecithin. 5. A product according to any of claims 1 to 4, where the matri producing substance is cocoa or carob powder. 6. A product according to any or claims I to 5, which contains per uOt dosage foriii from about 1 gram LIIA and UIA enriched fish oil or all equivalent quantity of more highly enriched fish oil, to about 3 grams of such fish oil. 7. A product according to ally of claims I to 6, or a total weight per unit dosage form of 6 to 18 grams. 8. A product according to any of claims I to 7, which is provided with a highly flavored chocolate coating. 9. A product according to any of claims I to 8, containing tocopherol as antioxidant.

   1 4 9 10. A produt-L according to claim 1, in unit dosage form in the -shape of a chocolate bar or the like comprising in combination: Fish oil enHched so as to contain at least 25r% of EPA and DIIA (together) by weight Egg protein Leci thin S ucrose Sorbitol Tocopberol Cocoa Va I) i 11 i II Water each unit having a weighL of from 6 to 18 grams, coated with a layer of chocolaLe. 11. Am edible product in unit dosage form, adapted to provide at least one third of Lhe daily requirements of polyunsaturated fats, substantially as hereinbefove described and with w-eference to the Examples.

   14.50 g 0.75 9 14.50 g 29.70 9 29.00 9 0.02 9 5. 80 g 0.20 9 4.20 9 PubllgwatThentomoel&ROUoe,86171aolbc)Pn,lonWC1R4TP.PurthereopiesbeObe d&omThePAt,entOMee.

   825j at W7517. Cl-a;, Xern. 'Tinted by Multiplex tecbmlquea ltd, St M&ry Cray, Kent, Con- 1187 il 1 1