LIPASE-ASSISTED CONCENTRATION OF N-3 POLYUNSATURATED FATTY-ACIDS IN ACYLGLYCEROLS FROM MARINE OILS

Preparation of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) concentrates from seal blubber oil (SBO) and menhaden oil (MHO) in the form of acylglyc erols was carried out by hydrolysis with a number of commercial microb ial lipases. The lipases tested were Aspergillus niger, Candida cylind racea (CC), Chromobacterium viscosum, Geotrichum candidum, Mucor miehe i, Pseudomonas sp., Rhizopus oryzae, and Rhizopus niveus. After lipase -assisted hydrolysis of oils, free fatty acids were removed, and fatty acid composition of the mixture containing mono-, di-, and triacylgly cerols was determined. All lipases were effective in increasing the n- 3 PUFA content of the remaining acylglycerols of both SBO and MHO. The highest concentration of n-3 PUFA was provided by CC lipase; 43.5% in SBO [9.75% eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), 8.61% docosapentaenoic acid ( DPA), and 24.0% docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)] and 44.1% in MHO (18.5% EP A 3.62% DPA, and 17.3% DHA) after 40 h of hydrolysis. Thus, CC lipase appears to be most suitable for preparation of n-3 PUFA in the acylgly cerol form from marine oils.