Production of structured lipids in a packed-bed reactor with thermomyces lanuginosa lipase

Continuous Production of Dietetic Structured Lipids Using Crude Acidic Olive Pomace Oils

Crude olive pomace oil (OPO) is a by-product of olive oil extraction. In this study, low-calorie structured triacylglycerols (TAGs) were produced by acidolysis of crude OPO with medium-chain fatty acids (caprylic, C8:0; capric, C10:0) or interesterification with their ethyl ester forms (C8EE, C10EE). These new TAGs present long-chain fatty acids (L) at position sn-2 and medium-chain fatty acids (M) at positions sn-1,3 (MLM). Crude OPO exhibited a high acidity (12.05–28.75% free fatty acids), and high contents of chlorophylls and oxidation products. Reactions were carried out continuously in a packed-bed bioreactor for 70 h, using sn-1,3 regioselective commercial immobilized lipases (Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase, Lipozyme TL IM; and Rhizomucor miehei lipase, Lipozyme RM IM), in solvent-free media at 40 °C. Lipozyme RM IM presented a higher affinity for C10:0 and C10EE. Lipozyme TL IM preferred C10:0 over C8:0 but C8EE over C10EE. Both biocatalysts showed a high activity and operational stability and were not affected by OPO acidity. The New TAG yields ranged 30–60 and the specific productivity ranged 0.96–1.87 g NewTAG/h.g biocatalyst. Lipozyme RM IM cost is more than seven-fold the Lipozyme TL IM cost. Therefore, using Lipozyme TL IM and crude acidic OPO in a continuous bioreactor will contribute to process sustainability for structured lipid production by lowering the cost of the biocatalyst and avoiding oil refining.

Optimization of the Hydrolysis of Safflower Oil for the Production of Linoleic Acid, Used as Flavor Precursor

Commercial lipases, from porcine pancreas (PPL), Candida rugosa (CRL), and Thermomyces lanuginosus (Lipozyme TL IM), were investigated in terms of their efficiency for the hydrolysis of safflower oil (SO) for the liberation of free linoleic acid (LA), used as a flavor precursor. Although PPL, under the optimized conditions, showed a high degree of hydrolysis (91.6%), its low tolerance towards higher substrate concentrations could limit its use for SO hydrolysis. In comparison to the other investigated lipases, Lipozyme TL IM required higher amount of enzyme and an additional 3 h of reaction time to achieve its maximum degree of SO hydrolysis (90.2%). On the basis of the experimental findings, CRL was selected as the most appropriate biocatalyst, with 84.1% degree of hydrolysis. The chromatographic analyses showed that the CRL-hydrolyzed SO is composed mainly of free LA.

Production and physicochemical properties of functional-butterfat through enzymatic interesterification in a continuous reactor

Modified-butterfat (MBF) was synthesized with four blends (8:6:6, 6:6:8, 6:6:9, and 4:6:10, by weight) of anhydrous butterfat (ABF), palm stearin (PS) and flaxseed oil (FSO) through enzymatic interesterification in a continuous packed-bed reactor. Flow rate effect of 3, 5, 8 and 10 mL/min on enzymatic interesterification was investigated. By increasing the enzyme contact time with substrates (decreased flow rates), not only did melting and crystallization points shift to lower temperature but also the equivalent carbon number, ECN 36-38 from FSO decreased. Further all reactions were performed at flow rate of 5 mL/min (contact time 140 min) in a continuous reactor packed with 150 g of Lipozyme RM IM. After short path distillation, alpha-linolenic acid composition (%) of 8:6:6, 6:6:8, 6:6:9, and 4:6:10 MBFs were 16, 21, 23 and 25%, respectively. The contents of ECN 36-38, and ECN 48-50 decreased in the blends and MBFs for each substrate ratio. ECN 42-46 in the newly produced TAG increased. Melting points of MBFs were 38 degrees C (8:6:6), 35.5 degrees C (6:6:8), 34 degrees C (6:6:9), and 32 degrees C (4:6:10). MBFs interesterified with FSO contained phytosterols (17-36 mg/100 g) and tocopherols (116-173 microg/g). The products of 8:6:6, 6:6:8, 6:6:9 and 4:6:10 MBFs were softer (69, 88, 80, and 92%, respectively) than pure butterfat at refrigeration temperature. The polymorphic form changed from beta form (blends) to desirable crystalline structure of beta' form (MBFs). Crystal morphology of MBFs also changed and was composed of small spherulites of varying density.

Conversion of olive pomace oil to cocoa butter-like fat in a packed-bed enzyme reactor

Refined olive pomace oil (ROPO) was utilized as a source oil for production of cocoa butter-like fat. Immobilized sn-1,3 specific lipase catalyzed acidolysis of ROPO with palmitic (PA) and stearic (SA) acids was performed in a laboratory scale packed-bed reactor. Effect of reactor conditions on product formation was studied at various substrate mole ratios (ROPO:PA:SA; 1:1:1, 1:1:3, 1:3:3, 1:2:6), enzyme loads (10%, 20%, 40%), substrate flow rates (1.5, 4.5, 7.5, 15 ml/min) and solvent amounts (150, 400 ml). The highest yield (10.9% POP, 19.7% POS and 11.2% SOS) was obtained at 40% enzyme load, 1:2:6 substrate mole ratio, 45 degrees C, 7.5 ml/min substrate flow rate, 150 ml solvent and 3h reaction time. The melting profile and SFC of the product were comparable to those of CB. Polarized light microscope (PLM) images showed no drastic changes in polymorphic behavior between CB and product.

Differences in the intramolecular structure of structured oils do not affect pancreatic lipase activity in vitro or the absorption by rats of (n-3) fatty acids

The fatty acid composition and intramolecular structure of dietary triacylglycerols (TAGs) influence their absorption. We compared the in vitro pancreatic lipase activity and the lymphatic transport in rats of fish oil and 2 enzymatically interesterified oils containing 10:0 and (n-3) PUFAs of marine origin to investigate whether the positional distribution of fatty acids influenced the overall bioavailability of (n-3) PUFAs in the body. The structured oils had the (n-3) PUFA either mainly at the sn-1,3 position (LML, M = medium-chain fatty acid, L = long-chain fatty acid) or mainly at the sn-2 position (MLM). Oils were administered to lymph-cannulated rats and lymph was collected for 24 h. The fatty acid composition as well as the lipid class distribution of lymph samples was determined. In vitro pancreatic lipase activity was greater when fish oil was the substrate than when the structured oils were the substrates (P < 0.001 at 40 min). This was consistent with a greater 8-h recovery of total fatty acids from fish oil compared with the 2 structured oils (P < 0.05). The absorption profiles of MLM and LML in rats and their in vitro rates of lipase activity did not differ. This indicates that the absorption rate is highly influenced by the lipase activity, which in turn is affected by the fatty acid composition and intramolecular structure. The lipid class distribution in lymph collected from the 3 groups of rats did not differ. In conclusion, the intramolecular structure did not affect the overall absorption of (n-3) PUFAs.