Methods of separating a corn fiber lipid fraction from corn fiber

摘要

The invention provides a method of separating from corn fiber a lipid fraction having phytosterol esters and phytosterols where the method has the steps of: (a) heating an aqueous mixture of unground corn fiber; (b) contacting the mixture of step (a) with at least one enzyme suitable for digesting starch for a time and at a temperature suitable to provide a mixture of an essentially destarched corn fiber and a liquid comprising soluble carbohydrates; (c) contacting the mixture of step (a) or (b) with a protease enzyme to provide a proteolyzed corn fiber and a liquid; (d) separating the liquid of step (c) from the corn fiber to provide a destarched, proteolyzed corn fiber; and (e) extracting the destarched, proteolyzed corn fiber with at least one organic solvent. A corn fiber lipid fraction/organic solvent solution having phytosterol esters and phytosterols is provided. The invention also provides a corn fiber lipid fraction containing phytosterols and phytosterol esters obtained via solvent extraction of a proteolyzed corn fiber. The concentration of phytosterols and phytosterol esters in the lipid fraction is at least about 1.4 times greater than the concentration of phytosterols and phytosterol esters in the lipid fraction of a nonproteolyzed corn fiber.