Application of lipases to regiospecific interesterification of exotic oils from an Amazonian area.

Enzymatic interesterification may favor the development of lipid fractions from Amazonian oils with greater application potential. In this study, the Amazonian buriti oil and murumuru fat were subjected to enzymatic interesterification using two lipases in three different enzyme systems: one with a commercial lipase from Thermomyces lanuginosa, a second with the lipase produced by Rhizopus sp., and a third with a mixture of both lipases. The three enzyme systems were able to catalyze the reaction, but the enzymes showed different specificities. The commercial lipase was specific for unsaturated fatty acids, whereas the Rhizopus sp. lipase was specific for both unsaturated fatty acids and the positions sn -1 and sn -3 of the fatty acid on the triacylglycerol. The mixture of both lipases showed no synergistic effect: the results were intermediate between the two enzymes applied alone. Interesterification reduced the levels of trisaturated and triunsaturated triacylglycerols and increased the levels of diunsaturated-monosaturated and monounsaturated-disaturated triacylglycerols. The thermal melting behavior indicated the formation of a single endothermic region with more homogeneous triacylglycerols. The content of the bioactive β-carotene was preserved after the interesterification reaction with all three-enzyme systems. The interesterified lipids obtained, because of the characteristics of the oils, may be applied to the formulation of cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.