A process for purifying and preparing phytosterol composition derived from a pulping soap

摘要

A process for isolating a phytosterol composition from a plant-derived pulping soap where the soap is not derived from a sulphate degradation process is claimed comprising: a) in the first phase, mixing the pulping soap with a solvent mixture at a temperature from 25-150oC to form a creamy precipitate and b) in a second phase, purifying from a creamy precipitate a phytosterol composition. The solvent mixture of part a) comprises a ketone selected from RCOR' wherein R and R' are alkyl, an aliphatic hydrocarbon selected from C5-10 hydrocarbons and water and having no alcohol. The phytosterol composition produced above useful as a cholesterol lowering agent is claimed.