Rapid enzymatic production of acylglycerols from conjugated linoleic acid and glycerol in a solvent-free system

Rates and product distributions have been determined for the consecutive esterification reactions of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) with glycerol in the presence of an immobilized Candida antarctica lipase from Novo Nordisk (Lipozyme IM). In a solvent-free environment, both rates and product distributions are affected by the ratio of reactants, temperature, and hydration level. For mole ratios. of CLA to glycerol ranging from 1/1 to 3/1, incorporation of at least 95% of the original CLA into the product acylglycerols was achieved in less than 7 h of reaction at 50 degrees C.