Improved lipase‐catalyzed incorporation of long‐chain fatty acids into medium‐chain triglycerides assisted by supercritical carbon dioxide extraction

Abstract

Abstract Displacement of the equilibrium of the lipase‐catalyzed interesterification between medium‐chain triglyceride (MCT) and long‐chain polyunsaturated fatty acid was accomplished by the removal of by‐products with continuous supercritical carbon dioxide (SC−CO 2 ) extraction at 60°C and 100 kg/cm 2 . The incorporation of eicosapentaenoic acid to MCT was appreciably improved by this method and was 1.3 times higher than that of the equilibrium state (47 wt%) that was obtained in a closed system. The immobilized Mucor miehei lipase was stable for more than 180 h in SC−CO 2 at 60°C and 100 kg/cm 2 .