OMEGA-3 CONCENTRATE

摘要

A simple, efficient method for obtaining a concentrate that comprises around 80% by weight ?-3 fatty acid ethyl esters from a composition of material that contains ?-3 fatty acid esters or free ?-3 fatty acids, which comprises the following steps: a) placing the composition of material in contact with at least 96% by weight ethanol an alkali and metal hydroxide at a temperature between 60 and 200°C to form a liquid mixture that comprises fatty acid alkaline salts; b) cooling the liquid mixture to a temperature between 50 and -20°C to form a solid phase and a liquid phase, and separating the liquid phase from the solid phase; c) placing the liquid phase separated in step b) in contact with an acid to form an acidified mixture with a water content of less than 10%, in which the mixture consists of a solid phase that comprises the alkali metal salt of the acid and a liquid phase that comprises ?-3 fatty acids; d) heating the mixture from step c) to 50 to 150°C in the presence of an esterification catalyst to form a mixture that comprises ?-3 fatty acid ethyl esters; e) placing the mixture from step d) in contact with an alkali to form a neutralized mixture; f) distilling the neutralized mixture to obtain a distillate that comprises around 80% by weight ?-3 fatty acid ethyl esters.