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Biotechnology will have a broad impact on the oleochemicals industry. Only a narrow range of this interface is discussed: (a) the use of organic solvents in the enzymatic synthesis of lipid derivatives, (b) the effect of the chemical nature of the feedstock on the production of microbial monoesters, and (c) temperature as a determinant of the level of onsaturation in biosynthetic lipids. Interest in running enzymatic reactions in high concentrations of organic solvents is increasing. The implications of such processes for the oleochemical industry is illustrated by examples of ester synthesis and interesterification of oils and fats. The dramatic effect of feedstock chemistry on the final monoester product mix produced by Acinetobacter sp. HO1-N is also discussed. Products resulting from using n-alkaues (C 16-C20), acetic and propionic acids and, most recently, ethanol and propanol, are illustrated. They range from a monoester mix resembling sperm oil to one similar to jojoba oil. In general, temperature inversely affects biolipid unsaturation: the lower the temperature, the greater the unsaturation. The major function of this response is to preserve fluidity and function in biological membranes. The effect is universal in nature, occurring in animals, plants and microorganisms. Controlled laboratory studies have supported these observations made in nature. We have investigated the effect of temperature on the unsaturation of monoesters produced by the bacterium, Acinetobacter sp. tlO1-N. The inverse relationship between temperature and unsaturation is clearly shown. The enzymatic basis for these results and the possibility of chemical or genetic modification of plants and microorganisms to produce more or less unsaturated lipids is briefly discussed. Organic solvents, feedstock chemistry and temperature stress in biocatalysis are but three of the variables at the interface of biotechnology and the oleochemicals industry that will cause changing patterns.

The wax ester compositions produced by the action of Acinetobacter sp. HO1‐N on n‐alkanes (C16 through C20) were analyzed using capillary gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The wax esters contained, surprisingly, a large percentage of mono‐and diunsaturated components. The acyl and alkoxy segments are reported for each wax ester component. Also, the positions of the carbon‐carbon double bonds in the wax esters produced from the C16 and C20 n‐alkanes are reported. These microbial‐produced wax ester mixtures bear a close chemical similarity to those of sperm whale and jojoba oils.

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