Acidolysis of seal blubber oil with lauric acid

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to modify the fatty acid composition of seal (Phoca groenlandica) blubber oil by incorporation of lauric acid (12:0; a medium chain fatty acid). Of the three enzymes that were employed in the initial screening, Sn-1,3-regiospecific lipase from Mucor miehei (Lipozyme IM) exhibited the highest activity and was further studied for the acidolysis of seal blubber oil with 12:0. The fatty acid composition of modified seal blubber oil was different from that of the unaltered oil. The optimum substrate mole ratio of seal blubber oil to 12:0 for M. miehei lipase was 1:3. The time course of the reaction demonstrated that 29.7% lauric acid incorporation was obtained in 24 h. Stereospecific analyses by pancreatic lipase revealed that M. miehei lipase incorporated 12:0 predominantly at the sn-1 and sn-3 positions of the triacylglycerol molecules. © 2007, Blackwell Publishing.