Aker BioMarine secures new patent for Flexitech technology

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Aker BioMarine announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office granted the company’s patent application 15/040,330, which covers Aker’s Flexitech technology, used to make Superba 2 and Superba Boost krill oil products at its Houston facility. Flexitech was developed to improve encapsulation properties such as improved smell, taste, and appearance, by removing trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), a salt, from the oil. TMAO converts to trimethylamine (TMA), an organic compound largely responsible for seafood’s “fishy” odor.

This new patent application contains 11 claims that cover the high efficiency process of extracting lipids from krill biomass. “The Flexitech technology does not involve any form of high temperature treatment such as molecular distillation or the use of other solvents besides ethanol and water,” explains Matts Johansen, CEO of Aker BioMarine, in a press release. “It relies solely on low temperature and efficient fractionation methods, which remove unwanted salts and other polar constituents. It has opened the doors to new products such as Superba 2 and Superba Boost.”

The new patent strengthens the company’s existing patent portfolio and future generations of Aker products. “This is a major development for our company and the industry,” adds Johansen. “Aker BioMarine is fully committed to the research and development behind our krill oil products and this patent allows us to continue investing in R&D for years to come.”