MELTING AND CRYSTALLINE PROPERTIES OF ENZYME-CATALYZED INTERESTERIFIED VEGETABLE OIL-SOAPSTOCK FATTY-ACID BLENDS

Distilled fatty acids from Egyptian waste soapstock were blended with cottonseed or olive oils and interesterified via pancreatic lipase. Th e reaction was conducted at 55 degrees C for 10 h to reach equilibrium at which point 45% interesterification was accomplished. The specific ity of 1,3 lipase was apparently reduced by the acid environment of th e interesterification reaction. Acyl migration was observed among all the carbons of the glycerol moiety of the interesterified triacylglyce rol products. Differential scanning calorimetry was used to evaluate c hanges in melting and crystallizing properties of vegetable oil-soapst ock fatty acid blends before and after enzymic interesterification. Me lting and crystallizing temperatures of the interesterified blends wer e significantly lowered.