Supercritical fluid fractionation process for phytosterol ester enrichment vegetable oils

摘要

A two-step (two-stage) columnar supercritical fluid fractionation process enriches phytosterols and phytosterol esters in vegetable oils, particularly vegetable oils containing oryzanol and/or fatty acid or ferulic esters of phytosterols. The first stage is a deacidification and the second stage is a phytosterol enrichment. The method may be conducted in a continuous or semi-continuous mode of column operation and yields a product that is essentially free of residual objectionable or organic solvent.