MONOACYLGLYCEROL PRODUCTION FROM BUTTEROIL BY GLYCEROLYSIS WITH A GEL-ENTRAPPED MICROBIAL LIPASE IN MICROAQUEOUS MEDIA

Reaction parameters were optimized to support polyethyleneglycol-based and polypropyleneglycol-based gel-entrapped lipase-mediated glyceroly sis of butteroil to yield monoacylglycerol. Single liquid-phase reacti ve mixtures contained 25% (w/w) butteroil dissolved in t-butanol, to w hich glycerol and water was added. Optimum reaction conditions were 35 -40 degrees C, and 5-10 mg enzyme reagent and 0.10g glycerol/mL substr ate solution. Optimum acyl group:glycerol molar ratio was about 0.64. The optimum water content was dependent on glycerol content and was ab out 6% (whv) of the glycerol at 0.10g glycerol/mL substrate solution. The gel-entrapped lipases had half-lives of about 35-46 cycles of 72 h r each.