Akihiro Shishikura

Improved lipase-catalyzed incorporation of long-chain fatty acids into medium-chain triglycerides assisted by supercritical carbon dioxide extraction

Displacement of the equilibrium of the lipase-catalyzed interesterification between medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid was accomplished by the removal of by-products with continuous supercritical carbon dioxide (SC−CO2) extraction at 60°C and 100 kg/cm2. The incorporation of eicosapentaenoic acid to MCT was appreciably improved by this method and was 1.3 times higher than that of the equilibrium state (47 wt%) that was obtained in a closed system. The immobilizedMucor miehei lipase was stable for more than 180 h in SC−CO2 at 60°C and 100 kg/cm2.

Citric acid purification process using compressed carbon dioxides

Abstract Citric acid (CA) has successfully been separated from fermentation broth by a novel and unique purification process, which is characterized by organic solvent extraction and precipitation with compressed carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) as a poor solvent. After the filtration of microorganisms, the condensed fermentation broth of CA was dissolved in acetone. In this extraction, a certain amount of impurities (mainly sugar) could be separated as precipitates. Compressed CO 2 was then dissolved in the acetone solution of crude CA to remove the residual impurities as precipitates using the anti-solvent effect of CO 2 . The deposited impurities were readily separated from the acetone solution of CA by a settler. Finally, food additive grade CA was easily obtained by simple decolorization and crystallization methods. Also, CA crystals could be obtained by the anti-solvent crystallization with CO 2 . crystallization with CO 2 .