Triglycerides and structured lipids from short- and medium-chain fatty acids
Inventors
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12516358-B2
Publication Date
2026-01-06
Expiration Date
Abstract
A method including reacting carboxylic acids obtained from fermentation and a carboxylic acid recovery step from said fermentation to produce short- or medium-chain triglycerides, wherein the reacting carboxylic acids comprises direct esterification with glycerol in the presence of a catalyst. Such method mentioned above wherein the produced short- or medium-chain triglycerides are further interesterified with an oil, butter, fat or other lipids in the presence of a catalyst to produce structured lipids. Yet another method comprising reacting carboxylic acids obtained from fermentation and a carboxylic acid recovery step from said fermentation to produce structured lipids, wherein reacting the carboxylic acids comprises transesterification with an oil, butter, fat or other lipids in the presence of a catalyst. The use of such short-chain triglycerides, medium-chain triglycerides and structured lipids as nutritional additives, dietary supplements, or both.
Core Innovation
The disclosed method produces triglycerides by reacting carboxylic acids with glycerol in a direct esterification reaction in the presence of a catalyst. The carboxylic acids are obtained from a fermentation or from a carboxylic acid recovery process associated with the fermentation, and the catalyst comprises an acid catalyst, a base catalyst, an enzyme catalyst, or a combination of any two or more thereof.
The method purifies the esterification product stream to produce a purified product stream comprising triglycerides, and produces a byproduct stream comprising unreacted carboxylic acids and salts thereof. At least a portion of the byproduct stream is recycled to at least one of the fermentation or the carboxylic acid recovery process, thereby integrating production with recovery and recycling.
The purified triglycerides are then interesterified with an oil, butter, fat, or other lipids in the presence of an enzyme selected to promote metathesis reactions. This interesterification produces structured lipids, where the structured lipids are formed by enzymatic metathesis-promoting conversion of the triglycerides with the selected lipids.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims include 1 inventive method claim. The core inventive coverage centers on integrated direct esterification, purification with byproduct recycling, and subsequent enzyme-catalyzed interesterification using metathesis-promoting enzymes.
Direct esterification from fermentation-derived carboxylic acids with catalyst selection
Reacting carboxylic acids with glycerol in a direct esterification reaction in the presence of a catalyst to produce triglycerides, wherein the carboxylic acids are obtained from a fermentation or from a carboxylic acid recovery process associated with the fermentation and wherein the catalyst comprises an acid catalyst, a base catalyst, an enzyme catalyst, or a combination of any two or more thereof.
Purification and byproduct recycling to fermentation or carboxylic acid recovery
Purifying the esterification product stream to produce a purified product stream comprising triglycerides and a byproduct stream comprising unreacted carboxylic acids and salts thereof, and recycling at least a portion of the byproduct stream to at least one of the fermentation or the carboxylic acid recovery process.
Enzyme-catalyzed metathesis-promoting interesterification with oils/fats/lipids to form structured lipids
Interesterifying the triglycerides with an oil, butter, fat, or other lipids in the presence of an enzyme as catalyst to produce structured lipids, wherein the enzyme is selected to promote metathesis reactions.
Overall, the claim set covers an integrated route where fermentation-derived carboxylic acids are converted to triglycerides via direct esterification, purified with recycling of unreacted carboxylic acids and salts, and then converted into structured lipids via enzyme-catalyzed, metathesis-promoting interesterification with an added oil, butter, fat, or other lipids.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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