Production of Medium Chain Glycerides and Monolaurin from Coconut Acid Oil by Lipase-Catalyzed Reactions

Abstract

Medium chain glycerides (MCGs) containing C8:0 and C10:0 fatty acids have got commercial importance by considering their medicinal and nutritional applications. Monolaurin is also a value added commercial product. Coconut acid oil, which is mainly utilized in soap manufacturing process, can be effectively utilized to produce MCGs and monolaurin by a combination of lipase-catalyzed hydrolysis and esterification. Coconut acid oil containing 68% free fatty acid (as lauric acid), and 31.4% neutral glycerides are hydrolyzed by Candida rugosa lipase. The hydrolyzed acid oil was then subjected to steam distillation under atmospheric pressure to get a fraction (yield, 5%) rich in medium chain fatty acids (C8:0, 46.2%, C10:0, 19.2%), and the residual fraction was fractionally distilled under vacuum to get a fraction rich in lauric acid (68.4%). These two fractions were esterified with glycerol with Rhizomucor miehei (Lipozyme RM IM) lipase to produce MCGs from the first fraction and monolaurin from the second fraction. © 2004, Japan Oil Chemists' Society. All rights reserved.