Optimization and scale-up of enzymatic synthesis of structured lipids using RSM

Enzymatic synthesis of structured lipids by transesterification of ethyl caprylate (EC) and soybean oil and sunflower oil (90% oleic acid) in hexane was optimized using response surface methodology (RSM). Incubation time (IT), molar ratio of ethyl caprylate to total triglycerides (MR), percentage of soybean oil as source of long-chain triglycerides (PS), and long-chain triglyceride concentration (TC) were assumed the most important factors affecting nutritional attributes of structured lipids based on caprylic acid (C8:0) and linoleic acid (C18:2 n-6) content. Optimum conditions for synthesis of structured lipids were: IT 26.4 hr; MR = 8; PS = 75%; TC = 0.58 M. The capryloyl acyl residues in triglyceride predicted by RSM was 67.6 (mol%) and linoleoyl 14.5%. Large scale synthesis was successful. The model was verified experimentally.