In line degumming and neutralization of oils and fats using hydrodynamic flow-through cavitation reactors

1. A continuous process for the combined degumming and neutralization of oil containing phosphatides and free fatty acids (FFA), said process comprising the following steps:

a) dosing an aqueous degumming reactant into an oil containing phosphatides and FFA to form a mixture of aqueous degumming reactant dispersed into said oil containing phosphatides and FFA,

b) introducing said mixture of aqueous degumming reactant dispersed in oil containing phosphatides and FFA into a first set of flow-through hydrodynamic cavitation reactors, to form at the exit of said first set of flow-through hydrodynamic cavitation reactors a mixture of oil containing hydrated phosphatides and FFA,

c) dosing, at the exit of said first set of flow-through hydrodynamic cavitation reactors an aqueous caustic solution into said oil containing hydrated phosphatides and FFA to form a mixture of aqueous caustic dispersed into said oil containing hydrated phosphatides and FFA,

d) introducing said mixture of an aqueous caustic dispersed into said oil containing hydrated phosphatides and FFA into a second set of flow-through hydrodynamic cavitation reactors, to form at the exit of said second set of flow-through hydrodynamic cavitation reactors a mixture of oil containing hydrated phosphatides and neutralized FFA (soaps),

e) separating the mixture of oil containing hydrated phosphatides and soaps to obtain an oil phase and an aqueous phase, wherein said aqueous phase comprises a degummed and neutralized oil and hydrated phosphatides (gums) and neutralized FFA (soaps) dispersed and/or solubilized in water,

characterized in that each flow-through hydrodynamic cavitation reactors of the first set and of the second set comprises at least one cavitation chamber having a cavitation number Cv lower than 1.

2. The continuous process for the combined degumming and neutralization of oil containing phosphatides and FFA according to claim 1 , wherein said oil containing phosphatides and FFA is forced through the first and second sets of flow-through hydrodynamic cavitation reactors by the action of one high pressure pump positioned before the first set of flow-through hydrodynamic cavitation reactors.

3. The continuous process for the combined degumming and neutralization of oil containing phosphatides and FFA according to claim 1 , wherein said oil containing phospholipids and FFA is forced through the first and second set of flow-through hydrodynamic cavitation reactors by the action of two high pressure pumps, the first one being positioned before said first set flow-through hydrodynamic cavitation reactors and the second high pressure pump being placed between the first and second set of flow-through hydrodynamic cavitation reactors.

4. The continuous process for the sequential degumming and neutralization of oil containing phosphatides and FFA according to claim 1 , wherein said phase separation step e) is performed by a centrifugal separator.

5. The continuous process for the combined degumming and neutralization of oil containing phosphatides and FFA according to claim 4 , wherein 0.5 to 2.0% of water is added to the degummed and neutralized oil prior to be treated by a centrifugal separator.

6. The continuous process for the combined degumming and neutralization of oil containing phosphatides and FFA according to claim 4 , wherein the degummed and neutralized oil is heated at a temperature comprised between 70 and 95° C.

7. The continuous process for the combined acid degumming and neutralization of oil containing phosphatides and FFA according to claim 1 , wherein the degumming agent is an aqueous solution of citric acid or phosphoric acid.

8. The continuous process for the combined degumming and neutralization of oil containing phosphatides and FFA according to claim 1 , wherein the degumming agent is enzyme comprising lipase, phospholipase, acyltransferase or a blend thereof.

9. The continuous process for the combined acid degumming and neutralization of oil containing phosphatides and FFA according to claim 1 , wherein the aqueous caustic solution of an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide.

10. The continuous process for the combined degumming and neutralization of oil containing phosphatides and FFA according to claim 1 , wherein said aqueous degumming reactant of step a) and/or said aqueous caustic of step d) is introduced by a high-pressure dosing device.

11. The continuous process for the combined degumming and neutralization of oil containing phosphatides and FFA according to claim 1 , wherein the oil containing phosphatides and FFA is further heated in the range of 20 to 70° C. prior to step a).

12. The continuous process for the combined degumming and neutralization of oil containing phosphatides and FFA according to claim 1 , wherein the first and/or the second set of flow-through hydrodynamic cavitation reactors contain at least one flow-through hydrodynamic cavitation reactors.

13. The continuous process for the combined degumming and neutralization of oil containing phosphatides and FFA according to claim 1 , wherein the first and/or the second set of flow-through hydrodynamic cavitation reactors contain at least two flow-through hydrodynamic cavitation reactors.

14. The continuous process for the combined degumming and neutralization of oil containing phosphatides and FFA according to claim 1 , wherein the first and/or the second set of flow-through hydrodynamic cavitation reactors contain at least two flow-through hydrodynamic cavitation reactors and said at least two flow-through hydrodynamic cavitation reactors are serially or parallelly connected.