Sn-1,3-specific Interesterification of Soybean Oil with Medium-chain Triacylglycerol Catalyzed by Lipozyme TL IM

The structured lipids are produced through sn-1,3-specific interesterification of soybean oil with medium-chain triacylglycerol (MCT) in continuous reactions catalyzed by Thermomyces lanuginose lipase (Lipozyme TL IM). Cheap Lipozyme TL IM presents similar interesterification degree (ID), sn-1,3-specificity and residual activity as expensive Rhizomucor miehei in batch reactions. In packed-bed interesterification of soybean oil with MCT catalyzed by Lipozyme TL IM, the residence time has a significant effect on ID, while temperature has a small effect at 45–70 °C. The sn-1,3-specificity of Lipozyme TL IM is not satisfactory when reaction temperature is higher than 60 °C. The optimal residence time and temperature are 30–40 min and 55 °C, respectively. Among the solvents, including acetone, isopropanol, tert-butanol, and isobutanol, used to recover the activity of the used Lipozyme TL IM, acetone is the most suitable one than the other solvents.

In this study, the scheme of immobilized lipase packed bed reactor (PBR) was shown on the below. PBR was used to produce MLM-type SLs by cheap Lipozyme TL IM-catalyzed interesterification of soybean oil with MCT in solvent-free system. In addition, the effects of the flow rate, temperature, and lipase stability on the IDs were studied in the continuous packed-bed reactor. At last, Lipozyme TL IM was regenerated by solvents acetone, isopropanol, tert-butanol and isobutanol.Immobilized lipase packed bed reactor (PBR). 1. Magnetic stirrer, 2. substrate reservoir, 3. reactor temperature control, 4. Pump (FMI Fluid Metering), 5. bed of immobilized enzyme, 6. water jacked, 7. sampling, 8. product reservoir, 9. cooling water drawal, and 10. heating water discharge.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide