Process for producing a hydroxyfatty acid ester

摘要

A process for producing a hydroxyfatty acid polyhydric alcohol ester, which comprises; adding at least one polyhydric alcohol represented by the formula (III) or (IV), (III) or (IV) wherein R5 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, R6 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, and m and n represent integers from 1 to 6, to hydrated Sophorolipid which is a fermentation product of Torulopsis bombicola; distilling off water under reduced pressure; and subjecting the resulting mixture to an alcoholysis reaction by adding an acid catalyst to the mother liquor.