Effectiveness of immobilized lipase Thermomyces lanuginosa in catalyzing interesterification of palm olein in batch reaction.

Lipase Thermomyces lanuginosa has shown potential in modifying oils and fats through interesterification. Analyzing the physicochemical properties of the modified oils is important to determine the effectiveness of lipase in catalyzing interesterification. In this study, the effectiveness of the immobilized lipase (Lipozyme(®) TL IM) in catalyzing interesterification of palm olein in pilot-scale batch reactor was determined. The evaluation was done by analyzing the changes of triacylglycerol (TAGs) composition, sn-2 position fatty acids composition and the physical properties of the palm olein after the interesterifications. The pilot-scale batch reaction was conducted for 8 hours with 5 %w/w enzyme dosage based on the results of TAGs composition of the laboratory-scale interesterified products. The pilot-scale results showed that Lipozyme(®) TL IM act as an effective enzyme in converting TAGs, in which 4.5% of trisaturated TAGs (PPP and PPS) were produced in the batch reaction. The formation of these new TAGs had also altered the thermal and physical properties of the palm olein. These interesterified products showed a broad peak and shoulder at high temperature, ranging from 10°C to 40°C, indicating the formation of some new TAGs with high melting points. However, the enzyme did not perform perfectly as a 1,3-specific enzyme in the reaction as a significant reduction of oleic acid and an increment of palmitic acid at the sn-2 position was observed.