Recent Patents on Lipase Catalyzed Vegetable and Fish Oil Modification

Debajyoti      Goswami

Abstract

Lipase is an enzyme which catalyzes hydrolysis, esterification and transesterification processes. Type (origin) of lipase affects process conditions and final conversion. Use of these biocatalytic properties of lipase in modification of various vegetable oils is depicted in different patents, leading to varieties of beneficial products. Production and concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids like eicosapentanoic acid, docosapentanoic acid and docosahexanoic acid were carried out through lipase catalyzed hydrolysis. Hydrolysis followed by reesterification was also employed in some patents to concentrate long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in triacylglycerol fraction or free fatty acid fraction as per specific requirements. Ethanolysis of fish oil hexyl esters was also described in some studies to concentrate similar fatty acids. Combined ethanolysis and esterification, ethanolysis and transesterification were also conducted in some patents to concentrate these desirable fatty acids. Degumming using phospholipase and biodiesel production with lipase as catalyst were also carried out leading to some notable patents. Reactor configuration for maximizing conversion was also patented. Removal of diacylglycerols from their mixture with triacylglycerols led to specifically designed triacylglycerol mixture for catering certain purposes.

Keywords: Lipase, fatty acid, hydrolysis, esterification, transesterification, alcoholysis.