HYDROLYSIS OF ANIMAL FATS BY LIPASE AT TEMPERATURES BELOW THEIR MELTING-POINTS

We have studied the hydrolysis of high melting animal fats by the lipase from Candida rugosa at temperatures between 20-degrees-C and 37-degrees-C without the addition of surfactants or organic solvents. To establish the practical applications of this process we investigated the optimal conditions of the reaction at high substrate concentrations (50% fat w/v) to achieve 95% hydrolysis (or better) in 24 hours. Experiments were conducted in solid emulsions without constant stirring (500 ml total reaction volume). Under all conditions tested, edible pork lard was a better substrate than inedible beef tallow yielding up to 96% hydrolysis with as low as 0.3 g lipase/Kg fat or 98% hydrolysis with 0.5 g lipase/Kg fat. The optimum temperature for the hydrolysis of edible pork lard was around 30-degrees-C. Inedible beef tallow and pork lard did not exhibit a clear optimum temperature. Inedible lard gave results intermediate between those of edible lard and inedible beef tallow.