Production of high-oleic acid tallow fractions using lipase-catalyzed directed interesterification, using both batch...

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Food Science
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Traditional tallow fractionation yields oleins with limited unsaturated fatty acid content.
• Enzymatic interesterification offers a potential route to enhance olein quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the use of immobilized lipases for directed interesterification of tallow.
• To compare enzymatic methods with traditional fractionation for producing high-unsaturation oleins.
• To develop a sustainable process for creating healthier tallow-based food ingredients.

Main Methods:

• Utilized immobilized lipase (Novozym 435) in batch and continuous flow reactors for tallow interesterification.
• Controlled reaction conditions, including water activity and temperature, to optimize enzyme activity and product yield.
• Integrated enzymatic interesterification with a crystallization vessel in a continuous flow system.

Main Results:

• Batch interesterification with 2% Novozym 435 increased olein unsaturation to 57% compared to 45% in controls.
• Continuous flow reactor operation produced olein with up to 60% unsaturated fatty acids.
• Enzyme activity was maintained through controlled water activity and could be restored after dehydration.
• Enzyme reusability was demonstrated, with potential enhancement through preincubation.

Conclusions:

• Immobilized lipase-catalyzed interesterification is effective in producing tallow oleins with significantly higher unsaturated fatty acid content.
• The developed continuous flow process offers a basis for industrial production of healthier, low-saturated fat tallow fractions.
• Careful control of water activity is crucial for maintaining enzyme stability and minimizing free fatty acid formation during reuse.