Joint research by nutrition experts and chemists has led to a surprisingly simple solution for optimizing seed oil. The University of Vienna has now filed a patent application for this process. In fact, the first vegetable oil (flaxseed oil) produced using the new method offers three improvements over conventional oil: it is healthier (more antioxidants), stays fresh for much longer (longer shelf life) and tastes better (less bitter). The outstanding quality of the oil was confirmed in extensive test series at the Department of Physiological Chemistry at the University of Vienna and the method was protected by a patent application. At the same time, the company Lipid Legends was founded, which has exclusive rights to use the method and is already using it to produce and sell an optimized flaxseed oil. This is available in standard commercial quantities both in the online store and from carefully selected sales partners.
There is a lot of talk about the health value of unsaturated fatty acids, but many consumers are not aware of this. In fact, numerous vegetable oils are advertised with their supposedly high content of unsaturated fatty acids – and are bought and consumed in good faith. But unsaturated fatty acids are not marathon runners, they are sprinters – they run out of breath quickly. Or, to put it more scientifically: oxygen and light ensure their degradation – very quickly, within a few weeks. From the use of genetic engineering to the addition of additives, oil producers all over the world are trying to reduce this rapid degradation. Researchers at the University of Vienna demonstrated that it can be done completely naturally and have recently secured a patent for this process. At the same time, OFS Lipid Legends GmbH was founded and has already successfully launched its first optimized flaxseed oil on the market.
Research from the bottle
Leading this success story: Prof. Marc Pignitter, Head of the Department of Physiological Chemistry at the University of Vienna shares his perspective: "As a scientist, you feel a responsibility not to let the results of your work gather dust in libraries. Especially if it has the potential to markedly improve health, the knowledge should be applied and shared. And that's exactly what Lipid Legends is doing."
In fact, the company has been granted exclusive rights to use the production process, which is as simple as it is ingenious. This is based on two key features: the reuse of the residue known as press cake that is left over from the extraction of vegetable oils from seeds, and the use of the vegetable oil itself to release valuable ingredients from this press cake. "Put simply," explains Prof. Pignitter, who is also responsible for Research & Development at Lipid Legends, "we use the respective vegetable oil to naturally extract other valuable ingredients from the press cake. In this way, we enrich the oil with high quality ingredients in a completely natural and gentle way." What sounds as simple as it is brilliant, however, required a lot of tinkering: in fact, the exact best conditions (temperature, mechanical movement, particle size, duration, etc.) were determined in extensive series of tests in order to produce the best possible oil.
Fortified with science
However, the result of these efforts is quite remarkable: the "valuable ingredients", also known as polyphenols, not only stabilize the numerous unsaturated fatty acids, but also take away the (flaxseed) oil's often bitter taste. The optimized flaxseed oil from Lipid Legends is characterized by the fact that the healthy unsaturated fatty acids are retained for much longer than with conventional oils, even after opening a bottle. Scientifically proven: up to almost 40 % longer. This not only means that the oil stays fresh for longer, but also stabilizes the very high unsaturated fatty acid content at the time of pressing. This means that it actually reaches the consumer – and their mouths. "And the oil also tastes demonstrably better," adds Dr. András Gregor, CEO of Lipid Legends. "We were able to objectively confirm this in blind tastings with trained taste experts." The reason for this seems to be that the high content of polyphenols slows down the development of an unpleasant bitterness – a completely unexpected and very welcome side effect.
It's no wonder that sales at Lipid Legends are already running like clockwork, as health-conscious consumers are the most critical. But it is precisely with these consumers that Lipid Legends scores points, because the young start-up, which proudly bears the "University of Vienna Spin-off" award, not only makes good promises, but also has the data to back them up.
About Lipid Legends
Lipid Legends, founded in 2023 and based in Vienna, is an up-and-coming company specializing in the development and marketing of high-quality, optimized oils. The first product in the optimized product line, the optimized flaxseed oil, is characterized by an outstanding taste, a high concentration of antioxidants and an extended shelf life. As a spin-off from the University of Vienna, Lipid Legends uses the latest research to develop products that offer significant benefits for nutrition-conscious consumers and nutrition professionals.
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Assoz. Prof. Dr. Marc Pignitter
Department of Physiological Chemistry
University Vienna
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