Concentration of omega 3-polyunsaturated fatty acids of seal blubber oil by urea complexation: optimization of reaction conditions

Abstract

Production of omega-3 fatty acid concentrates from seal blubber oil (SBO) was optimized. In this process, the content of total ω3-fatty acids, Y 1; eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), Y 2; and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), Y 3 in the final product was maximized. A three-factor central composite rotatable design (CCRD) was used to study the effect of urea-to-fatty acid ratio (X 1), crystallization time (X 2), and crystallization temperature (X 3). Second-order polynomial regression models for Y 1, Y 2 and Y 3 were employed to generate response surfaces. Under optimum conditions the maximum amount of total ω3 fatty acids (88.2%) from SBO was obtained at a urea-to-fatty acid ratio of 4.5, a crystallization time of 24 h, and a crystallization temperature of −10°C. ©