Immobilized heterologous Rhizopus oryzae lipase: A feasible biocatalyst for the production of human milk fat substitutes

This work aims at evaluating the potentialities of a heterologous Rhizopus oryzae lipase (rROL) as a feasible biocatalyst, to be used as an alternative to commercial lipases, for the synthesis of Human Milk Fat Substitutes (HMFS). This enzyme was immobilized in three different supports (Accurel® MP 1000, Eupergit® C and Lewatit® VP OC 1600) and tested as catalysts for the acidolysis between tripalmitin and oleic acid, batchwise, at 60 °C, in solvent-free medium.The highest molar incorporations of oleic acid in the triacylglycerols were achieved with rROL in Lewatit® VP OC 1600 and Accurel® MP 1000, although the highest immobilization yields were observed with Eupergit® C.Quasi-equilibrium was attained after 6 h or 12 h reaction, with about 30 mol.% and 22 mol.% of oleic acid incorporation, when rROL immobilized in Lewatit and Accurel were used, respectively.Also, 23 h batch operational stability tests were performed: half-life times (t1/2) of 34.5 h and 64.0 h were achieved for rROL immobilized in Accurel® MP 1000 and in Lewatit® VP OC 1600, respectively. An important increase in the operational stability was observed for rROL immobilized in Lewatit after rehydration at the end of each batch (t1/2 = 202 h). Thus, the loss of activity may be explained by a progressive dehydration occurring along the reaction.

► Rhizopus oryzae heterologous lipase (r-ROL) was immobilized in different supports.
► Immobilized r-ROL was able to catalyze the production of human milk fat substitutes.
► Results were comparable to those obtained with commercial immobilized lipases.
► Operational stability of r-ROL in Lewatit VPOC 1600 increased with rehydration.