Enzymatic oil-degumming by a novel microbial phospholipase

Phospholipase A-mediated oil-degumming is a well-established process step ( EnzyMax(R)) in physical refining of vegetable oils (rape seed, soy bean, su nflower seed). A screening programme for microbial phospholipases of type A has been carried out. The target has been to develop a stable and robust p hospholipase with optimal oil-degumming performance in the pH-range 4-5 and in the temperature range 30-70 degreesC. One phospholipase of type Al from Fusarium oxysporum, given the trade name Lecitase(R) Novo, has been studie d in detail. Some of the characteristics of this novel microbial phospholip ase in the oil-degumming application are: pH optimum similar to5, temperatu re optimum 40-45 degreesC. In laboratory tests the new phospholipase Lecita se(R) Novo has proven to be superior to porcine pancreatic Lecitase(R) 10L and other phospholipases with respect to oil-degumming performance, and it has proven to be suited for degumming of different oil qualities ranging fr om water-degummed to crude oil. A further advantage is that the new phospho lipase acts at very low water content, which will make the problematic slud ge recycling in the EnzyMax(R) process superfluous. As demonstrated by an H PLC study, phospholipase-mediated degumming is a unique process quite disti nct from the well-known acid degumming variations, since the phospholipids (both hydratable and non-hydratable) present in the oil are hydrolysed to t he corresponding lyso-phospholipids, which migrate to the aqueous phase und er the conditions employed. Lecitase(R) Novo was introduced successfully fo r degumming of rapeseed oil at Cereol (Mannheim, Germany) mid 2000.