Application of a specificity of<i>Mucor miehei</i> lipase to concentrate docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)

Abstract

Abstract Lipases catalyze the reesterification or hydrolysis of fats and oils and may show specificity towards certain fatty acids. An immobilized lipase from the fungus Mucor miehei shows specificity towards docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (DHA being a poor substrate), whether the DHA is used as a free fatty acid (FFA) as substrate in esterification with methanol, or fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) is used as a substrate for hydrolysis. The specificity of the lipase from M. miehei may be applied to concentrate DHA originating from a marine oil in either the FAME or the FFA fraction, which can be separated.