6 - Synthesis and Properties of Structured Lipids with Omega-3s

Abstract

This chapter discusses the synthesis and properties of structured lipids with Omega-3s. Structured lipids are tailor-made fats and oils with improved functional and nutritional properties through the incorporation of new fatty acids or the change of the position of existing fatty acids on the glycerol backbone. These modifications are usually conducted by interesterification. The reaction of interesterification is basically the exchange of carbonyl groups of fatty acids within and between the triglyceride molecules. There are three reactions associated with interesterification: acidolysis or ester exchange with other fatty acids, alcoholysis or ester exchange with alcohols, and ester exchange between triglycerides or transesterification. Two main processes have been used for the production of structured lipids: chemical interesterification and enzymatic synthesis. Chemical synthesis involves hydrolysis of a mixture of triacylglycerides of different species and then re-esterification after random mixing. Enzymatic reactions usually involve lipases. These enzymes occur widely in nature and hydrolyze, in the presence of water, triacylglycerols to diacylglycerols, monoacylglycerols, free fatty acids, and glycerol.