Recent Research Trends on the Enzymatic Synthesis of Structured Lipids

Abstract

Structured lipids (SLs) are lipids that have been chemically or enzymatically modified from their natural biosynthetic form. Because SLs are made to possess desired nutritional, physicochemical, or textural properties for various applications in the food industry, many research activities have been aimed at their commercialization. The production of SLs by enzymatic procedures has a great potential in the future market because of the specificity of lipases and phospholipases used as the biocatalysts. The aim of this review is to provide concise information on the recent research trends on the enzymatic synthesis of SLs of commercial interest, such as medium- and long-chain triacylglycerols, human milk fat substitutes, cocoa butter equivalents, trans-free or low-trans plastic fats (such as margarines and shortenings), low-calorie fats/oils, health-beneficial fatty acid-rich fats/oils, mono- or diacylglycerols, and structurally modified phospholipids. This limited review covers 108 research articles published between 2010 and 2014 which were searched in Web of Science.

Production of MLM Type Structured Lipids From Grapeseed Oil Catalyzed by Non‐Commercial Lipases

“…Since these FA are not readily reesterified into new TAG, they are not stored as fat, with weight control benefits. [1,3] MLM present lower caloric value (5-7 kcal g -1 ) than conventional fats and oils (9 kcal g -1 ). [4] In addition, the production of these SL is also important as a food source for persons with pancreatic insufficiency and other malabsorption problems.…”

“…These assays were performed at three different temperatures: 30, 40, and 50 C, and samples were taken at 0, 3,5,8,24, and 48 h of reaction time. Reactions were carried out in triplicate.…”

“…They represent a food industry growing segment in order to achieve natural and healthier fats (when enzymatic catalysts are used) as a response to the current consumer's demand. [1][2][3] Dietetic TAG with low caloric value contain medium chain fatty acids (M) esterified at sn-1,3 positions and long chain fatty acids (L) esterified at sn-2 position of the glycerol backbone, and they are known as MLM. During digestion, the medium chain FA, released from TAG by the action of the sn-1,3-regioselective pancreatic lipase, are preferentially transported via the portal vein to the liver, where they are metabolized as rapidly as glucose.…”

Incorporation of capric acid in pumpkin seed oil by sn-1,3 regioselective lipase-catalyzed acidolysis

“…Some interesting examples of SLs are human milk fat substitutes (Tecelão et al, 2010), cocoa butter substitutes (Matsuo et al, 1981), trans-free plastic fats for margarines (Osório et al, 2001) and low calorie fats and oils (Nunes et al, 2011a, b). The production of SL by enzymatic procedures has a great potential in the future market because of the specificity of lipases as biocatalysts (Kim and Akoh, 2015). TAG, containing a medium-chain FA (M) at sn-1 and sn-3 positions, and a long-chain FA (L) at sn-2 position, named as MLM-type TAG, present lower caloric value than conventional fats and oils of the type LLL (Smith et al, 1994;Morales-Medina et al, 2017).…”

Conducting Research at the Interface of Food Science and Nutrition

“…The nutritional properties of lipids strongly depend on their fatty acid and triacylglycerol or glycerophospholipid (TAG or GPL) composition, fatty acid position on the glycerol backbone, and their molecular species (Chapkin, Akoh, & Miller, ; Liang et al., ). Structured lipids (SL) can be designed for nutrition, medical, nutraceutical use (healthful lipids), or for functionality in foods (Akoh, ; Akoh & Kim, ; Kim & Akoh, ; Osborn & Akoh ; Pande & Akoh, ): Physicochemical and functional properties : Lipids with desirable properties such as melting, rheology, plasticity (Seriburi & Akoh, ), oxidative and frying stability, emulsification, trans ‐free alternative (Jennings & Akoh, ; Kadamne, Moore, Akoh, & Martini, ; Kim, Lumor, & Akoh, ; Lumor et al., ; Pande, Akoh, & Shewfelt, ), and edible films are being produced. These include cocoa butter alternatives (Bahari & Akoh, ,b; Jin, Akoh, Jin, & Wang, ; Osborn & Akoh, ), margarines, spreads (Kim, Shewfelt, Lee, & Akoh, ), shortenings, baking fats (Agyare, Addo, Xiong, & Akoh, ; Agyare, Xiong, Addo, & Akoh, ), salad oils (Fomuso, Corredig, & Akoh, ), flavor or terpene esters (Claon & Akoh, ; Wu, Akoh, & Phillips, ), organogels, and edible films (Moore & Akoh, ; Sellappan & Akoh, ) (Figure ). Healthful lipids are being designed for better absorption, reduced calories, disease considerations, immune function modulation, cholesterol reduction, enteral and parenteral nutrition, balanced n‐3/n‐6 ratio (Jennings & Akoh, ), reduction or removal of trans fats, infant growth and development (Zou, Pande, & Akoh, ), and fat substitutes (Akoh, , ).…”