Green processing for commercial production of feruloylated vegetable oils

Authors: Laszlo, Joseph; Compton, David - Dave; Eller, Fred; Taylor, Scott

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/30/2007
Publication Date: 8/30/2007
Citation: Laszlo, J.A., Compton, D.L., Eller, F.J., Taylor, S.L. 2007. Green processing for commercial production of feruloylated vegetable oils [abstract]. American Chemical Society. p. 72.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Covalent incorporation of ferulic acid into vegetable oils produces a desirable product for cosmetic applications. Current practice involves the biocatalytic transesterification of ethyl ferulate with soybean oil, followed by a molecular distillation step to remove unconsumed ethyl ferulate and the reaction byproducts ferulic acid and fatty acid ethyl esters. The transesterification reaction is kinetically limited by a step that produces a partially deacylated oil. The reaction rate is markedly enhanced by converting the triacylglycerol to sn-1(3),2-diacylglycerol and 2-acylglycerol prior to introducing ethyl ferulate to the reaction mix. Alcoholysis using a 1,3-specific lipase was shown to be the preferred initial treatment step. Byproduct fatty acid esters are removed by either molecular distillation or liquid carbon dioxide extraction. Neither process led to substantial acyl migration in the deacylated oil, which would have reduced its performance in the subsequent transesterification step. The two-step biocatalysis process,coupled with a continuous, countercurrent liquid carbon dioxide extraction cell, should provide a readily scalable procedure that eliminates waste and greatly increases production throughput.