In this paper we present the valorization of cocoa olein obtained from the acid fat-splitting of soapstocks. The aim is to develop a solvent free process (enzymatically catalyzed) to maximize the production of a final product with high content of monoglycerides (MAG) and diglycerides (DAG). The effect of the enzyme dose, glycerol content, reaction times as well as the modification of the raw material and pressure were studied. The yield of the reaction increased up to 90-95% when using a vacuum of 2-3 mbar at 65 °C, enough to evaporate the water which is generated as a by-product, an enzyme dose of 1% and molar ratio oil:glycerol of 1:2. The highest yield in terms of MAG and DAG production was obtained by starting from a raw material which was rich in free acidity (FFA), rendering oil with 33.4 and 44.2% MAG and DAG, respectively. Short reaction times (6-8 h) were observed compared to previously reported results (24 h).
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.