Structured lipids: Lipase-catalyzed interesterification of tricaproin and trilinolein

Structured lipids were synthesized by interesterification of trilinolein and tricaproin with sn-1,3-specific (IM 60) and nonspecific (SP 435) lipases. The interesterification reaction was performed by incubating a 1:2 mole ratio of trilinolein and tricaproin in 3 mL hexane at 45 degrees C for the IM 60 lipase from Rhizomucor miehei, and at 55 degrees C for the SP 435 lipase from Candida antarctica. Reaction products were analyzed by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with an evaporative light-scattering detector. The fatty acids at the sn-2 position were identified after pancreatic lipase hydrolysis and analysis with a gas chromatograph. IM 60 lipase produced 53.5 mol% dicaproyllinolein (total carbon number = C33) and 22.2% monocaproyldilinolein (C45). SP 435 lipase produced 41% C33 and 18% C45. When caproic acid was used in place of tricaproin as the acyl donor, the IM 60 lipase produced 62.9% C33. The effects of variation in mole ratio, temperature, added water, solvent polarity, and time course on the interesterification reaction were also investigated. In the absence of organic solvent, IM 60 lipase produced 52.3% C33.