Process for deacidifying natural fats and oils
A single stage process for deacidifying glycerides involving: (a) providing a glyceride having an acid value of from about 5 to 20; (b) providing a lower alcohol; (c) providing an enzyme catalyst immobilized on a support material; and passing a mixture of (a) and (b), over (c), thereby deacidifying the glycerides.
1. A single stage process for deacidifying glycerides comprising:
(a) providing a glyceride having an acid value of from about 5 to 20;
(b) providing a lower alcohol;
(c) providing an enzyme catalyst immobilized on a support material, wherein the support material has a mean diameter of from about 1 to 5 mm; and
(d) passing a mixture of (a) and (b), over (c), thereby deacidifying the glycerides.
2. The process of claim 1 wherein the glyceride is selected from the group consisting of coconut oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, and mixtures thereof.
3. The process of claim 1 wherein the glyceride has an acid value of from about 10 to 15.
4. The process of claim 1 wherein the lower alcohol is a C 1-4 alcohol.
5. The process of claim 1 wherein the lower alcohol is methanol.
6. The process of claim 1 wherein the lower alcohol is employed in an amount of from about 1 to 10% by weight, based on the weight of the glycerides.
7. The process of claim 1 wherein the lower alcohol is employed in an amount of from about 2 to 5% by weight, based on the weight of the glycerides.
8. The process of claim 1 wherein the enzyme is a lipase.
9. The process of claim 1 wherein the enzyme is employed in an amount of from about 0.5 to 10% by weight, based on the weight of the glycerides.
10. The process of claim 1 wherein the enzyme Is employed in an amount of from about 1 to 2% by weight, based on the weight of the glycerides.
11. The process of claim 1 wherein the support material has a mean diameter of about 3 mm.
12. The process of claim 1 wherein the support material comprises polyolefin granules.
13. The process of claim 1 wherein the enzyme catalyst and support material are employed in a ratio by weight of from about 1:1 to 1:100.
14. The process of claim 1 wherein the enzyme catalyst and support material are employed in a ratio by weight of from about 1:5 to 1:10.
15. The process of claim 1 wherein the glycerides are deacidified in multiple stages, each of which employ steps (a)-(d).