MODIFICATION OF FATS BY LIPASE INTERESTERIFICATION .1. CHANGES IN GLYCERIDE STRUCTURE

Blends of refined cottonseed oil and fully hydrogenated soybean oil we re subjected to interesterification reactions catalyzed by Rhizomucor miehei and Candida antartica lipases in a solvent free system. The int eresterification decreased the levels of triunsaturated and trisaturat ed triglycerides and increased the amounts of mono- and disaturated tr iglycerides in the blends. The triglyceride products obtained by the t wo enzyme preparations were similar in composition but differed in the proportions: levels of high melting glycerides were higher in the pro ducts obtained with C. antartica lipase. The amounts of hydrolysis pro ducts formed depended on both the choice of enzyme and the substrate c omposition. The content of 1,3-diglycerides formed exceeded that of 1, 2-diglycerides and low levels of monoglycerides were formed during the reactions.