Continuous production of structured phospholipids in a packed bed reactor with lipase from Thermomyces lanuginosa

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The possibilities of producing structured phospholipids between soybean phospholipids and caprylic acid by lipase-catalyzed acidolysis were examined in continuous packed-bed enzyme reactors. Acidolysis reactions were performed in both a solvent system and a solvent-free system with the commercially immobilized lipase from Thermomyces lanuginosa (Lipozyme TL IM) as catalyst. In the packed bed reactors, different parameters for the lipase-catalyzed acidolysis were elucidated, such as solvent ratio (solvent system), temperature, substrate ratio, residence time, water content, and operation stability. The water content was observed to be very crucial for the acidolysis reaction in packed bed reactors. If no water was added to the substrate during reactions under the solvent-free system, very low incorporation of caprylic acid was observed. In both solvent and solvent-free systems, acyl incorporation was favored by a high substrate ratio between acyl donor and phospholipids, a longer residence time, and a higher reaction temperature. Under certain conditions, the incorporation of around 30% caprylic acid can be obtained in continuous operation with hexane as the solvent.
Original languageEnglish
JournalJ A O C S
Volume82
Issue number4
Pages (from-to)237-242
Number of pages6
ISSN0003-021X
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2005
Externally publishedYes

ID: 45481949