Synthesis of Acilglycerides with high nutritional value by an enzymatic two-step process

Abstract

Acylglycerides are esters formed from glycerol and fatty acids. The structure of these glycerides affects their digestion and absorption. In this work, the synthesis of acylglycerides with high nutritional value by an enzymatic process in two stages is presented. In the first stage, the esterification of glycerol and capric acid catalyzed by Lipozyme RM IM was carried out. In this reaction, 73% conversion of capric acid and 71% selectivity to 1,3-dicaprin was achieved. The diglyceride was separated and purified efficiently by a simple liquid-liquid extraction procedure. The dicaprin was esterified with palmitic acid using Burkholderia cepacia lipase immobilized on chitosan as the catalyst. In this second stage conversions of 1,3-dicaprin with values between 48 and 87% and with high selectivity towards the esterification of the sn-2 position were achieved. The reaction product had between 76 and 90% of acylglycerides with high nutritional value, depending on the reaction conditions.