MODIFICATION OF FISH OIL BY LIPOZYME TL IM TO PRODUCE STRUCTURED LIPID

Abstract

ABSTRACT Stearic acid methyl esters was enzymatically interesterified with fish oil (EPAX 5500) containing 44.5 and 32.6 mol% eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5n‐3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6n‐3), respectively. Lipozyme TL IM from Thermomyces lanuginosus was used to produce structured lipids (SL) that may be suitable for margarine or shortening application. Interesteri‐fication was performed in hexane. Fish oil: stearic acid methyl ester levels ranging from 1 to 5 mole ratio was used. The effect of incubation time, substrate ratio and incubation temperature were also studied. Generally, as incubation time and substrate ratio increased, so did the mol % incorporation of stearic acid. After 24 h incubation in hexane, there was a 49.4 mol% incorporation of stearic acid into fish oil, while the mol% of EPA and DHA were reduced to 15.0 and 13.0 mol%, respectively. Time course studies also indicated that the highest stearic acid incorporation occurred at 72 h while 1:Sjish oil to stearic acid mole ratio gave the highest stearic acid incorporation. The data suggests that Lipozyme Ti5 IM could be used to produce SL.