Continuous reactor for enzymic glycerolysis of butteroil in the absence of solvent

A continuous reactor was evaluated for lipase-mediated glycerolysis of butteroil in the absence of solvent. Lipase (from Pseudomonas cepacia) was immobilized by adsorption, followed by covalent coupling with glutaraldehyde, on a polypropylene sheet which was placed inside the reactor in a spiral wound configuration (axial-annular flow). Substrate feedstock was 2:1 (w/w) butteroil/glycerol and included 1% (w/w) lecithin to promote phase homogeneity. Reactor temperature was maintained at a minimum of 40 degrees C to prevent substrate/product solidification and attendant reactor fouling. Glycerolysis was found to be most efficacious at 45-55 degrees C, with 10.5% aqueous glycerol, and at reactor space times approaching 10 h. Under these conditions, >70% butteroil triacylglycerols were converted into a product mixture containing about 70% diacylglycerol and monoacylglycerol at a mass ratio of 2.1-2.2:1. (C) 1996 Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.