Abstract
Estolide has numerous industrial applications, and can be synthesized from ricinoleic acid by heating at 220°C. Due to the high reaction temperature involved, this process leads to product coloring and ordor problems, thus limiting the application of this compound to food processing.Study was thus made to determine whether immobilized lipase could be uaed in the synthesis of estolide. The results obtained are as follows.
1) Estolide could be synthesized at 40°C by the catalytic activity of immobilized lipase.
2) This activity of immobilized lipase was made five times that of free lipase by co-immobilization with lecithin.
3) The condensation rate was made high by the addition of zeolite to remove water generated in the reaction.
4) Colorless estolide with a high condensation rate was synthesized using a bioreactor system consisting of a packed bed bioreactor and a dehydration column.
