High‐purity γ‐linolenic acid from borage oil fatty acids

Abstract

Abstract High‐purity γ‐linolenic acid (GLA) was obtained by employing a modified low‐temperature solvent crystallization process, followed by a lipase‐catalyzed esterification, to borage oil fatty acid. By applying a two‐stage solvent crystallization process to the borage oil fatty acid, GLA content was increased from 23.4 to 92.1% with a yield of 89.3%. After the esterification of GLA‐rich fatty acid with butanol catalyzed by Lipozyme IM‐60, GLA content in the fatty acid was further raised from 92.1 to 99.1%. The overall yield of the combined process was 72.8%. The effects of operation parameters on the Lipozyme IM‐60 catalyzed esterification between fatty acid and alcohol were systematically investigated.