IMPROVED LIPASE-CATALYZED INCORPORATION OF LONG-CHAIN FATTY-ACIDS INTO MEDIUM-CHAIN TRIGLYCERIDES ASSISTED BY SUPERCRITICAL CARBON-DIOXIDE EXTRACTION

Displacement of the equilibrium of the lipase-catalyzed interesterification between medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid was accomplished by the removal of by-products with continuous supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) extraction at 60 degrees C and 100 kg/cm(2). The incorporation of eicosapentaenoic acid to MCT was appreciably improved by this method and was 1.3 times higher than that of the equilibrium state (47 wt%) that was obtained in a closed system. The immobilized Mucor miehei lipase was stable for more than 180 h in SC-CO2 at 60 degrees C and 100 kg/cm(2).