GB571209A - Process for altering the composition of fats and fatty oils for food and other purposes - Google Patents

Abstract

The rearrangement of fatty acid radicles in a glyceride is effected by subjecting a mixture of a fat or fatty oil with fatty acid to a fractional distillation, whereby the more volatile fatty acids are removed, leaving the less volatile fatty acids to take their place in the glyceride molecule. Thus, tripalmitin may be converted to triolein by distilling palmitic acid from the mixture of tripalmitin and oleic acid. The treatment may be carried out in the presence of substances, such as the oxides of aluminium, magnesium and zinc, which catalyse the rearrangement, and may be conducted, preferably at subatmospheric pressure, in the presence of inert gases such as steam, nitrogen or carbon dioxide. The treatment may, if desired, be followed by caustic refining, hydrogenation or deodorisation. In an example, palmitic acid is distilled from a mixture of palm oil and palm oil fatty acids. The palm oil fatty acids may be produced by saponifying palm oil and then acidifying the saponified material, but alternatively the mixture to be distilled may be produced by partially hydrolysing palm oil. The treatment may be applied to animal, vegetable and marine fats and oils such as tallow, cotton seed, coconut oil, palm kernel oil, soya bean oil, fish oil and whale oil. The treatment may be employed to soften or reduce the melting point of some fats, for instance, in the production of shortening, or to harden or increase the melting point of others, for instance, in the production of a confectioner's hard butter-like substance. It may also be employed to improve the drying properties of oils.