The production process of foodstuffs, and other products consumed orally, such as <BR> <BR> nutritional supplements, capsules etc. , is usually either a continuous or a batch process.

The choice of process is made based on the desired qualities and volume of the final product. Food industry utilizes a variety of additives to improve the final product or to increase the output.

The fat contained in foodstuffs and in other orally consumed products originates from the raw materials used, such as the fat contained in meat or in peanuts. Fat can also be added to the product separately, for example, when the production process includes baking, or when a sauce, spread or a meat product is being manufactured. In some circumstances fat is used to improve the taste and other qualities of the product. Addition, or substitution, of fat may sometimes be performed in an attempt to improve the quality of fat in the final product.

The technical properties of foodstuffs, and of other orally consumed goods, such as soluble form, define the form required for the added fat. For example, in dairy products the fat is often homogenized into small droplets. The form, odour and/or taste of some of the known lipid based preparations added to the production process of foodstuffs severely limit their use in the mass production and refinement of foodstuffs.

Fat that is separately added to foodstuffs can be derived from both fauna and flora. In this it is essential to acknowledge the effects of fats themselves, as well as the adherent micromolecules, in the final food product. The disadvantages caused by the characteristic taste and odour of marine derived fats have significantly limited the large scale use of the marine derived healthy fats in refining foodstuffs. Although marine derived fats have successfully been purified in different ways and used as raw material, in these instances the

price of the raw material has significantly risen and the production process has become slower.

Lipids have been observed to have effects on health and the beneficial influence of mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids are widely known. A number of different fat compositions have been described. In part of the known fat compositions some additional substances or features have been added to the basic lipid content when preparing a fat composition, such as described in patent DE 4012894. In many cases, however, the disadvantages of these include the unilateral qualities of the ingredients, limited usability of their physical and chemical properties (i. e. many of the fat compositions are only fat soluble (oils)), costliness, and expensive production process making a wide commercialization and use in the food industry impossible.

The lipids received in the diet have an essential role in various contexts in the human system, e. g. in cell membranes, pro-hormones, and as raw material for the aerobic energy metabolism. On the other hand fats have undesired impacts in our system-too high lipid content in blood is known to facilitate the development of cardiac and vascular diseases.

The connection between nutrition and the blood lipid profile remains at least partly unknown.

Lipids circulate in blood packed into lipoprotein particles. Apolipoprotein B is an integral lipoprotein in the phospholipid coat of the LDL-lipoproteinparticle. It functions as a receptor, which enables the LDL-particle to attach and move into tissues while performing it's function of transporting cholesterol to tissues. (Kita T, Kume N, et al, Role of oxidized LDL in atherosclerosis, Ann N Y Acad Sci 2001 Dec ; 947: 199-205; discussion 205-6).

The current method of actively lowering Apolipoprotein B synthesis and secretion in liver and other tissues includes using drugs manufactured of the appropriate chemical substances (W09823593).

Serum HDL-lipoprotein and the adjoining Apolipoprotein Al have been noted to be in inverse relation to the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases. In addition to the absolute serum lipoprotein particle concentration, the ratio of Apolipoprotein A to Apolipoprotein B depicts the morbidity (WO 0177072 and US 6046166).

No ingredients or food products for the purpose of altering serum apolipoprotein composition have been described in the food industry.

Nutritional recommendations are given in order to guide peoples'consuming habits to a healthier direction. The recommendations for fat profile in food are meant to influence the quality of fats consumed in the diet. An appropriate fat profile in diet is observed to have a more significant part in maintaining health than a diet with a low total content of fat. By decreasing total fat content in the diet and by avoiding products with high cholesterol content only partially beneficial effect on health can be reached. In addition, the consumer trends in the population are difficult to change.

The patent literature describes the following oil compositions: Patent application EP-A1-0843972 describes an oil composition for tube feeding, which composition contains medium-length chain fatty acids 55-95 %, omega-3-fatty acids 5- 25 %, other fats 0-30 %. Patent application EP-A2-0404058 describes an oil composition, which contains omega-6: y-linolenic acid and dihomo-y-linolenic acid, a total of 0,2-2, 6 %, omega-3: octadecatetra acid and/or eicosapentaenic (EPA) acid and/or docosahexaenic acid (DHA), a total of 0,05-2 %, n-3+n-6=0,25-4. 6 %, n-6/n-3 = 1: 10- 5: 1 and arachidonic acid/DHA=2: 1-3 : 1. Patent application EP 0298293 describes a an oli composition, which contains DHA 25-50 % (a DHA concentrate). Patent publication JP 2243622A presents a serum cholesterol lowering oil composition, which contains oc- linolenic acid derived from linseed oil, EPA and DHA derived from sardines, mackerels and tuna. The international patent WO 92/21335 describes an emulsion, in which water and plant oil both exist in an aqueous phase, and in which omega-3-fatty acids represent at least 30 %, and where the emulsifying agents are synthetic or marine derived phospholipid molecules. Patent publication JP 8000219/A describes a health promoting oil composition, in which 0,5-5 % of the oil is DHA, and 6 % polysaccharides. The composition described in patent publication EP0319360 Al has a cardiac and vascular diseases inhibiting effect.

Accroding to the publication the composition consists of flora and fauna derived oil source.

Fatty acids of N-3 series and in particular EPA and DHA are mentioned in the publication.

The portion of N-6 series fatty acids compared to N-3 series fatty acids is quite high.

Patent publication FI 105145 B describes a production method for a marine oil preparation and products containing oil/water emulsions. The preparation of the products is carried out

in an inert nitrogen atmosphere. The products contain 66-88 % of liver-oil of fish or other marine oil, fat-soluble vitamins A and D and possibly water-soluble vitamins.

Patent publication EP-B1-0304115 describes a production method for a fish and plant oil composition. The ratio of fish oil to plant oil in the composition is 1: 3. The temperature in the process is 200 °C. No synthetic antioxidants are used in the composition. Patent publication EP 0404058 A3 describes a preparation method for a flora and fauna derived fat composition. The described fat composition can be used in preparing nutrition, in particular nutrition for infants. The proportion of n-6 and n-3 series fatty acids in the fat composition described in EP 040458 A3 is quite small, 0.25-4. 6 w-%.

Intravenous nutritional solutions have also been described in patent literature : US patent number 6008248 describes a nutritional solution for i. v. use, in which the amount of medium-chain fatty acids adds up to 30-60 %, plant oil derived fatty acids 35- 65 %, and fish derived oil 5-20 %. Patent publication DE 3721137 Al describes also an intravenously used nutritional solution, which contains EPA triglyserides. US patent number 5034414 describes an intravenous nutritional solution, where EPA and DHA add up to 0,8-20 % and the emulsifying agent contains 1-2 % of lecithin derived either from egg or soy. Patent publication WO 98/47376 describes a nutritional solution containing fish oil, garlic powder, capsaicin, rutin, vitamins A, C, E, and selenium and a juice concentrate.

US patent number 5,874, 470 describes a parenteral, isotonic lipid emulsion, which contains at least one type of omega-3-fatty acid, which is essentially EPA and is a component in marine derived oil, medium chain length triglycerides, which contains 90 w- % capryl and/or capril acid triglycerides, and at least one physiologically acceptable emulsifying agent, at least one type of omega-6-fatty acid, being essentially linolenic acid and existing as a natural component in soy bean oil or sunflower oil, 10-30 w-% of the total lipid, so that the ratio of the mentioned omega-3-fatty acids to medium chain length triglycerides is 1: 9-3: 5, and that the proportion of emulsifier is 5-12 w-% of the total fat.

Patent publication GB 2217173 describes a nutritional or pharmaceutical composition in paste form, which composition comprises oil containing at least one essential polyunsaturated fatty acid and nutritional fat.

WO 88/02221 describes the technical preparation of a granule containing in particular EPA and DHA fats. A product prepared according to WO 88/02221 contains fillers and carriers commonly used in connection of a drying process.

EP 1175836 describes a composition, which comprises fats suitable for baking, technical additives used in drying, fillers, sugars, and transad fats. The composition can be used for flavouring fat based flakes and in preparing baking and snack products.

EP 0843972 Al describes a composition, which comprises fats, proteins, carbohydrates, and possibly other substances, such as minerals and vitamins. The proportion of medium length chain fatty acids in the composition if 55-95 w-% and the proportion of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids is 5-25 w-%. The fat composition can be used in tube feeding.

Patent publication WO 01/47377 describes a liquid nutritional or refreshing drink, comprising 65-90 w-% of liquid oil containing emulsion, in which 15 w-% is omega-3- fatty acids and at least 1,3 w-% of the whole preparation comprises emulsifier, aromatic oils, sweetener, pH regulating factor, water, preservatives and vitamins.

The oil compositions and nutritional solutions listed above do not include a description of a composition, with an appropriate taste and odour for foodstuff processing, in which the health benefits of the health promoting fatty acids, folic acid and biomaterials are combined. Especially noteworthy is that in the listed publications describing fish fat and oil compositions, there is no mention of having solved the problems of taste and odour characteristic of fish oils. In addition, many of the above mentioned patent publications describe compositions that are used intravenously, and in which the problems concerning taste and odour of marine derived oils do not require solving.

The purpose of the present invention is to remove the problems related to known technology.

Surprisingly, in the present invention, it has been observed that it is possible to make a composition of plant and fish oils, the use of which in foodstuffs and in other corresponding products does not cause significant unfavourable taste nor odour.

The present invention provides a fat composition, which can be used in the production of foodstuffs or other corresponding products, which can be used as a supplement in foods, or in different ways be added to foodstuffs. The invention enables the industrial scale production of new types of healthy foodstuffs. The composition can be used in foodstuffs to improve their qualities either by adding it to foodstuffs, or substituting part of the raw materials by it, or using the composition as such as the main component in foodstuffs. The characteristics of the composition described here are combined in the foodstuffs improved by it.

The fat composition according to the invention is mainly characterized by what is stated in the characterizing part of claim 1.

The fat composition preparation is mainly characterized by what is stated in the characterizing part of claim 8 and/or 9.

The food composition is mainly characterized by what is stated in the characterizing part of claim 10.

The method for preparing a fat composition is mainly characterized by what is stated in the characterizing part of claim 15.

The fat composition according to this invention comprises more than 40 w-% of fats, preferably 40-70 w-%. The proportion of plant fat in the total composition is preferably at least 4 w-% and the ratio of plant fat to fish fat is between 10/90-90/10. The proportions of following long chain fatty acids characteristic for the composition are preferably: - myristic acid (C-14: 0) 0,1-10 w-% - palmitic acid (C-16: 0) 5-20 w-% - octadecatetra acid (C-18: 4 n-3) 0,3-5 w-% - eicosapentaenic acid EPA (C-20: 5 n-3) 1-18 w-% - docosahexaenic acid DHA (C-22: 6 n-3) 1-11 w-%.

The composition comprises cholesterol only 0-0,5 %.

The composition comprises folic acid preferably 0,1-1000 mg/kg.

There is a tendency to avoid annihilation of the raw materials or characteristic components (like folic acid) in the process is through avoiding subjecting the mixture to excess heat treatment and other harmful treatments. If it is desired to secure the final concentration of the ingredients, the characteristic ingredients can be supplemented and added in order to limit the process-induced loss and waste. Furthermore, the qualities of the characteristic raw materials can be enhanced with other substances. For example, in conjunction with the addition of folic acid, vitamin B12 can be added to the mixture.

Additionally, it is advantageous that the composition comprises biomaterials 0,1-10 w-%, such as protein and/or starch and/or different parts of natural or cultivated plants and/or oligo-and polysaccharide-containing biomaterial, such as betaglucan and/or lignan containing biomaterial and/or lactic acid bacteria preparation, and/or some or all of the vitamins A, E, B or C, and/or minerals such as potassium, magnesium, selenium and/or iron containing ingredients and/or flavonoids.

In addition, the composition can comprise aromatic substances 0-45 w-%. The foodstuff industry wishes to obtain its raw materials as easily as possible and therefore to avoid ordering and stocking several small articles and the additional logistics caused by this. In this case, raw materials already in use may be added to the mixture or the mixture can be pre-added to a raw material. For example, it is advantageous to add aromatic substances and aromatise mixtures. In this case, it is advantageous to use such aromatising possibilities, which naturally contain anti-oxidative protection.

The composition comprises water 0-60 w-% and it can comprise preservatives, when necessary, such as different types of acids and their salts, such as potassium-sorbate, ascorbic acid, citric acid and sodium-ascorbate.

The fat composition, or preparation, or additive comprising the composition, can be added to the production process of foodstuffs by common methods known to a person skilled in the art. The composition is suitable for refining foodstuffs in mass production due to the cost-efficiency caused by the individual raw material composition and taste and odour properties suitable for an application. In practice, refining foodstuffs by the composition

described here is possible by using the current machinery of production and thus does not require significant investments in the production lines.

The composition of the present invention is preservable and it is therefore easily transportable between production units. The properties and composition can be adjusted when preparing an individual component to match the composition and form of a given single foodstuff group. In the examples some possible compositions for improving foodstuffs are presented.

The commercialization and favourability to consumer of the composition of the present invention is essentially based on the fact that the foodstuff improved with the composition does not differ in taste, odour or appearance from the traditional foodstuffs. The fat added to and/or substituted in the product in the foodstuff process can individually be adjusted to obtain the desired texture. Therefore, an average consumer can enjoy a healthier nutrition profile without significant dietary changes.

The beneficial health effects in the composition and in the foodstuffs improved by the composition are combined. The improved foodstuffs provide a nutritionally more versatile diet in comparison to the traditional foodstuffs or products modified with one-sided supplements.

The omega-3-fatty acids contained in the products improved by or produced by using the present invention, have a number of acknowledged beneficial effects on health. The fatty acids included in the composition decrease the serum Apolipoprotein B content and therefore improve the ratio of serum Apolipoprotein A to Apoliprotein B (Puiggros, C, et al, Effects of oleic-rich and omega-3-rich diets on serum lipidpattern and lipid oxidation in mildly hypercholes-terolemic patients. Clin Nutr 2002 Feb; 21 (1) : 79-87. ). In addition, omega-3-fatty acids are suspected to have properties maintaining the normal function of central nervous system (Freeman, MP, Omega-3 fatty acids in psychiatry : a review, Ann Clin Psychiatry 2000 Sep ; 12 (3): 159-65). Further, omega-3-fatty acids are known to have an anti-hypertensive effect. For example, patent publication FR 2761887 describes the effects of omega-3-fatty acids.

Folic acid lowers serum homocystein content and prevents thus the risk for atherosclerotic disease. In addition to the pathological lipid profile in blood it has been verified in several studies that increased serum homocystein level is an independent risk factor for vascular diseases. Homocystein content has been shown to be associated with low serum content of vitamin B ; 2 and folic acid (Cattaneo, M, Hyperhomocysteinemia and thrombosis, Lipids 2001 ; 36 Suppl : S13-26). The effects of homocystein have been described also in US patent 6203818. In one study the folic acid added to the diet has been observed to lower the serum homocystein level in the tested individuals (Bostom, AG, et al., Total homocysteine lowering treatment among coronary artery disease patiehts ih the ea offolic acid fo°tified cereal grain flour. et. al. , Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2002 Mar 1 ; 22 (3): 488-91.).

Biomaterials can be added to the finished fat ingredient either in the production process, before or after it. It is possible to add biomaterial derived from the stems of reed-plants to the composition, the silicon contained in it binds oils and facilitates the integration of fat fraction into the mass.

In addition, the fibres added to the fat composition of the invention, such as poly-and oligosaccharides (e. g. betaglucan) and phenyl-propane-structured lignin have been observed to have a positive effect on the lipid profile in blood. The fibers contained in the diet also possess pro-digestive effects. The effects of betaglucan are described in US patent 6143731 and those of lignin in patent publication EP 0586933.

Different vitamins function in various reactions in the human system. It is generally acknowledged that vitamins A, E and C function as antioxidative agents in the numerous redox-reactions in our system. Vitamins of the B-family take part in different enzymatic reactions.

Flavonoids in their part beneficially influence the clotting factors of blood preventing the risk of thrombosis and embolism. The effects of flavonoids are described in US patent 3903266.

The lactic acid bacteria possibly added to the composition function in the intestinal lumen and effect positively blood lipid profile by affecting the absorption of fats (US 6214336).

In the following, the invention is studied more closely with the aid of a detailed description and some examples of application.

While using marine derived fats as the source of fat in this invention, it has surprisingly been possible to eliminate the disadvantageous taste and odour by developing a composition of marine and plant derived fats, in which the ratio of the ingredients is such that the disadvantageous taste and odour have significantly been decreased or removed altogether. This means that a panel of educated test persons does not detect any or detects only very slight taste or odour of fish in the fat composition, when comparing it to a composition that does not contain any fat derived from marine sources. As a result of this it is not possible to detect taste or odour characteristic of fish in the foodstuff improved with the fat composition. An educated panel of test persons cannot, therefore, distinguish between the original, unimproved foodstuff and the foodstuff improved by the present invention, at least on the basis of taste and/or odour of fish.

The ratio of plant and marine derived fats in the fat composition of the invention is advantageously between 10/90-90/10, preferably between 25/75-75/25. The disadvantageous taste and odour can be reduced if the proportion of plant derived fat is increased. It has been observed that the compositions comprise fish fat 25-55 parts and plant fat 75-45, respectively. Taste and odour are most efficiently reduced when the proportion of plant fat is increased, but in order to include a sufficient amount of the beneficial fish oil derived fatty acids to the composition, the compositions in which the ratio of fish fat to plant fat is between 20/80-25/75 or 25/75-30/70.

Oils and/or solid fats are used in the production process of a number of foodstuffs and corresponding biotechnical products. The fat composition of the invention can be added into the foodstuff or biotechnical product in connection of the production process (before, during or after the production process), or a foodstuff suitable for an application or a biotechnical product can be prepared directly by using the composition. For example, the fat composition described here can easily be added to the product in connection of preparing the foodstuffs, and thus the final product has the properties of the fat composition of the invention.

One of the central applications of the invention is a group foodstuffs consumed as part of a normal diet, and can be improved by the invention, such as beverages, processed grain products, sweets, meat products and appendages. These can be manufactured by adding the fat composition of the invention into the raw material used.

The plant and fish fats of the fat composition can be obtained from different sources. Plant fats can be derived from plant oils for example of olives, rape, turnip rape, sunflower, soy, corn, cotton, flax, canola, palm or the oil of some other plant. Plant oil can be derived from one or more sources. Plant oil can be freely chosen, since the source of plant fat has not been noticed to have significance to the properties of the fat composition of the invention.

The source of fish fat can be any preferably marine based fatty fish, such as Baltic herring or horse mackerel, pilchard, anchovy, jack mackerel, menhaden of the North America, Japanese sardine, or tuna fish. Fish oil can also originate, for example, in a whale, shellfish, or shrimps. The source of fish oil used in the fat composition of the invention can be oil that has gone through a basic purification. This means that the oil has been extracted from fish by the generally used methods and the result of this is a raw fish oil that smells of fish. The raw fish oil is refined by the generally known methods, the outcome of which includes for example vitamins A and D and/or E and still smells of fish. At this stage the obtained fish oil, that is used, for example, by the feed and fish industry in the manufacturing and processing of feeds and fish products, is mixed with the plant oil, as described in this invention.

Fish fat signifies in this invention the fat extracted from fish or other marine source. Fish fat may be extracted from one or more sources, for example from different fish and/or marine species.

The fat composition of this invention can be manufactured by optimizing the composition according to the results concerning taste and odour, that are obtained from sensory evaluation panels. The presence of the beneficial fatty acids characteristic for the fat composition of the invention can be assured and the fatty acids defined by the known analyses.

Following this the composition is taken into a reaction with water, protein and/or other biomaterial.

Manufacturing process of the fat composition, comprising plant fat and fish fat composition of this invention comprises the following steps: 1) measuring and dosing the ingredients into the process - fat mixture - water - biomaterials - other possible ingredients, such as folic acid, flavouring agents 2) processing the ingredients into a composition with appropriate viscosity and composition, 3) adding of the remaining ingredients into the composition as described in steps 1 and 2, and 4) packaging and taking into a container for storing and/or transportation.

When necessary, the composition comprises preferably as anti-oxidizing agents vitamins A, E, B and/or C, and as minerals, i. e. potassium and/or magnesium. The viscosity of the composition can vary according to the purpose of it's use, and it is taken into appropriate mechanical processing, such that it results in a mixed component, that can easily be applied to the water and fat containing raw material. Aromatic substances can be added if addition of these substances suits to the purpose of use of the composition in question or if even the slightest taste of fish in the final product is regarded as very disadvantageous.

The composition described is added in the production process of foodstuffs separately or as a part of the rest of raw material mass, that is being processed by the commonly known methods in the production of the product in question. In the manufacturing processes of foodstuffs the fat ingredient can be directed into the process by a suitable connection directly from the container by the generally known methods.

The fat composition of the invention can be added into foodstuffs by various different methods, such as directly injecting, covering, layering or spraying, either during the process or after it. Especially, adding the composition into liquid solutions can be done by diluting into, combining to, or adding up to another substance. The composition can be added into foodstuffs as such or gradually. For example biomaterials can be mechanically mixed into food after processing.

Various foods have been improved by the composition of this invention: beverages, grain and bakery products, sauces, sweets and meat products. In these the proportion of the composition has been 1-15 w-%, preferably 2-12 w-%, of the final product. The amount of the composition of the invention in a foodstuff is preferably less than 15 w-%, since the daily recommendation of omega-3 fatty acids is 650 mg according to AHA. The daily intake is acquired thus by consuming 100 g of a foodstuff containing some 6 % of the fat composition of the invention. If a consumer used various foods improved by the composition, the daily intake of omega-3 fatty acids would be exceeded, if the amount of the composition in the products were too high.

The prepared products do not differ in taste from the ordinary. Adding the composition into beverages and sweets is the most advantageous, since in these product groups the taste and odour problems would be especially undesired.

The composition of the invention can be added, for example, into foodstuffs, which have only gone through one processing phase, usually performed by the manufacturer, before distributing to the consumers. Such products are here called primary foodstuffs, and they include, for example, meat of mammals, reptiles and birds, such as pork, veal, lamb meat, chicken meat, meat of any given wild animal, minced meat, roast beef, entrecôte, and fillet.

Also organs, liver, and blood products and eggs are included in this category. The composition can also be added to fish and fish products, as well as other marine animals.

However, the advantageous qualities do not for natural reasons stand out in the same way as when added to meat or meat products.

Examples of foodstuffs into which the composition of the invention could be added include such products, that have gone through more than one processing phase before distributing to consumers. Such foods are here called processed foods and they include, for example,

convenience foods, pasta, meat products or canned meats, grain products, bakery, dairy, sweets, snacks, frozen products, soups, sauces and ready-to-eat foods.

Beverages into which the composition of the invention can be added include soft drinks, coffee, hot chocolate, milk, juices, nectars, essences, syrups, concentrates, snack drinks, beer, energy drinks, food supplements, meal substitutes, recovery drinks and other liquid nutritional goods.

The term"nutritional composition"covers all products meant for human disposal, especially eating or drinking, both raw, processed and prepared, which contain nutritional compounds or stimulants as carbohydrates (including sugars), proteins and/or fats, and that have been altered by adding the composition of the invention into them.

The present altered nutritional compositions can be described as"health promoting and/or maintaining foodstuffs and food compositions". Other components maynaturally be included in these products. The afore-mentioned term"foodstuff"is generally used to describe the corresponding unaltered products.

The word ingredient means here a component that is used in the production of a consumable foodstuff, which likely has some nutritional effect, or effect on the functioning of the human system, or effect on some quality of the final product.

The composition of the invention can be treated differently using suitable methods in order to produce a desired fat mixture composition for different purposes of use. It can be diluted, concentrated, enriched, evaporated or dried. Additionally, known treatments to the mixture can be performed. In connection, commonly used treatment substances, additives, carriers and supports can be used and the amounts are determined based on the desired properties of the end product. As an example, starch e. g. maltodextrin, sugar or protein can be added as a carrier to the fat mixture before drying. In some cases, the water content of the mixture has to be increased in order to improve the processability of the mixture.

Despite the different treatments to the fat preparation, the fat proportions of the fat composition preparation stay the same as in the original composition.

The composition of the invention can, when necessary, be mixed further with one or more foodstuff additives. Such additives are, for example, preservatives, anti-clodding agents and stabilizers.

No difference have been noted in the preservation (shelf-life) between the unaltered products and of the products improved with the composition. In some meat products the TBA count and hexanal emission describing the oxidation of fats has been on an acceptable level.

In addition to being consumed as part of foodstuffs, the composition may also be consumed as capsules in a similar way as the presently marketed fish liver oil capsules, or tablets. Capsules can comprise any appropriate digestible material, for example biopolymers, like collagen, gelatin and laminin. Tablets can be manufactured, for example, by concentrating the composition into powder and pressing the powder into tablets.

An object of the invention is therefore also a capsule or a tablet according to the characterizing part of claim 14.

Storing of the fat composition is performed by the generally known methods utilizing the generally used containers. In storing the composition the adverse effects of light and oxygen for quality are avoided by generally known methods. The adverse effects include, for example, the oxidation-catalyzing effects of-light and oxygen. When using plastic it is advantageous to use green or brown plastic instead of transparent plastic in packaging containers.

The following non-limiting examples illustrate the invention: Examples These examples are meant to describe the production, content and use of the fat composition, however, without limiting the invention in any way.

First, the plant and fish oils were mixed in different proportions and an educated sensory evaluation panel of test persons was instructed to give points for each of the mixtures. The results of this evaluation have been gathered in table 1.

Table 1. Sensory comparison between different mixtures of rapeseed and fish oils P/F odour taste rank standard standard deviation deviation 0/100 3.0 0.4 2.5 0.4 6.

100/0 3.5 0.3 4.0 0.3 1.

30/70 2.5 0.6 3.0 0.3 3.

10/90 3.0 0.0 3.0 0.1 3.

90/10 3.5 0.6 3.5 0.7 2.

70/30 3.0 0. 3 3. 0 0. 6 3.

1= unacceptable, 2= poor, 3= mediocre, 4= good, 5= excellent As for the flavour a grade under 3 was considered to be unacceptable for the use in a high quality foods.

Third place in the evaluation was shared with mediocre scores between mixtures with P/F (plant oil/fish oil) ratios of 10/90,90/10, 30/70 and 70/30. If fish oil or other marine derived oil is used, the proportion of plant has to be preferably at least 10 w-% of the total fat.

Next the evaluation panel was instructed to evaluate the properties of hamburgers, that had been manufactured without preservatives or flavouring agents, and that had been improved by the addition of the composition of the invention. The results were in concordance with the earlier results. Part of the panel members evaluated the commercial control product even to be poorer in quality as the best samples of the improved hamburgers (table 2).

Table 2. The rank of hamburgers according to taste rank according Test series appearance odour texture taste fat content to taste C 4.7 4.3 3.3 3.3 2.6 3. la 4.5 4.7 3.9 4.2 3.7 1.

Ib 4. 4 4. 5 3.8 3.7 3. 5 2.

Products in series la and Ib are applications, in which the proportions of plant fat to fish fat is 7/3, and in a and b the applied amount of the mixture was between 0,5 and 5 %. C was a commercial control product.

At first, a fat mixture was formed the composition of which was optimized using the results concerning taste and odour that were acquired in the sensory evaluation panel. The composition was brought into a reaction with water, water-soluble protein and/or other biomaterial that was chosen from the group of substances listed in claim 4.

Manufacturing of the composition comprising of plant and fish oils comprised the following general steps 1-4: 1) measuring and dosing the ingredients into the process - fat mixture - water - biomaterials - folic acid, flavouring agents 2) processing the mass into a composition with appropriate viscosity and content, 3) adding of the remaining ingredients into the composition as described in steps 1 and 2, and 4) packaging and dosing into container of storing and/or transportation.

In production of the composition the advantageous anti-oxidizing agents were used, namely vitamins A, E, B and/or C, and electrolytes, namely potassium and magnesium.

The composition was processed into an appropriate viscosity and was further mechanically processed resulting in a composition that was easily applicable into other water and fat containing raw material.

The described composition was added into the production process of food separately or as part of other raw material mass, and the resulting entity was processed by the generally known methods in the production process of the food product in question.

The following fat compositions were manufactured I 55 w-% plant and fish oil mixture 35 w-% water 10 w-% other substances (proteins, minerals, biomaterials) II 70 w-% plant oil 20 w-% water 10 w-% other substances (proteins, minerals, biomaterials) III 65 w-% plant and fish oil mixture 25 w-% water 10 w-% other substances (proteins, minerals, biomaterials) IV In one of the experiments a composition described in example III was manufactured and further diluted 1/10 into a new composition, that was applied as such as a preparate composition into the manufactured liquid.

V In one of the experiments an improved version of a drinkable liquid was produced with composition described in example I (fat content 55 w-%) by diluting it with 1: 10 lemon- water-solution 1: 2 four times until a fat content of 3,4 w-% was reached, after which the fifth dilution was performed with grape-citrus fruit juice, so that the final consumable liquid had a fat content of 1,7 w-%.

VI

In one of the experiments a composition according to example II was made, 8% of the composition was added into cake dough so that amount of fat in the original recipe was decreased by the same amount as the composition was added. The amounts of the other substances were not significantly altered, because the normal fat content of the dough is about 30 w-%.

VII In one of the experiments a potato product was prepared by using a composition described in example III. Spices were added to the composition, after which it was sprayed with an atomizer onto thin potato chips while they were being fried in a convection oven at 200 °C.

The spraying was carried out three times.

VIII In one of the experiments a chocolate product was prepared by using a 70 w-% fat composition reminiscent of that described in example II. In the original fat composition 30 w-% consisted of fish oil and the remaining 70 w-% consisted of plant oil. Some vanilla was added into the composition. 5% of the finished component was added into melted chocolate mass while moulding it and subsequently the mass was left to solidify.

IX In one of the experiments a common pancake dough was prepared, into which a composition described in example IV was added. The composition was added into the dough in proportion 1: 4 as the dough was prepared, after which the pan cakes were fried.

X In one of the experiments a fat composition was prepared according to example I, that subsequently was injected into fresh bovine roast, so that the portion of the composition in the raw roast total mass was 4-5 w-%. The roast was packed in a vacuum and stored in the generally known way.

XI In one of the experiments a fat composition was prepared according to example II, but so that that the source of fat was also fish oil (plant oil/fish oil being 7/3). 0,5-3 w-% of the

fat preparation was added into raw meat mass. The raw meat was processed in commonly known methods and later prepared in a grill as a hamburger steak.

XII In one test series 3-7 w-% of a fat composition according to example I was added into cookie dough, after which normal cookies weighing some 15 g each were baked.

XIII In one test series 4-8 w-% of a fat composition according to example III was added into sausage in the production process, after which the sausage was manufactured in the ordinary fashion.

When the familiarized evaluation panel were instructed to evaluate the nutritional compositions described above, they were not able to notice odour or taste characteristic of fish while compared to the corresponding unaltered foods.