PROCESS FOR PRODUCTION OF FATTY ACIDS, FATTY ACID ESTERS AND STEROLESTERS FROM SOAPSTOCK

摘要

The invention relates to a first process for production of fatty acids directly from any soapstock generated in the alkali refining process comprising of a) adding a lipase directly to the alkaline soapstock to facilitate hydrolysis of mono-,di- and triglycerides without prior neutralisation b) neutralizing and splitting the soaps with strong acids until reaching pH 1-6, c) separating the fatty acid phase from the aqueous by settling and/or centrifugation. In a second embodiment a second process for production of fatty acids directly from any soapstock is subject of the invention. This process comprises i) neutralizing and splitting the soaps with strong acids until reaching pH 1-6 ii) adding a lipase to facilitate mono-/di-/triglyceride hydrolysis iii) separating the fatty acid phase from the aqueous by settling and / or centrifugation In a further subject matter the invention deals with the use of said fatty acids for enzymatic or chemical synthesis of C1 to C6 alcanol esters and / or for chemical dimerisation of the fatty acids. As a consequence the invention also refers to a process for obtaining sterolesters and/or fatty acid esters characterized in that the fatty acids obtained according to the processes for production of fatty acids directly from any soapstock as aforementioned described are a) esterified with C1 to C6 alkanol with a Lipase that is selective for fatty acids and does not transesterify the sterolesters b) the fatty acid esters are separated from the sterolesters by distillation The use of said sterolesters for animal feed, food, health foods and as pharmaceutical agent for lowering cholesterol and/or as precursor for steroid synthesis as well as the use of said fatty acid esters as solvent, for the production of fatty alcohols, as biofuel, and biodiesel, as plastisicer or for dimerization is also subject of the invention.