Abstract
Enzymatic degumming is a well established process in vegetable oil refinement, resulting in higher oil yield and a more stable downstream processing compared to traditional degumming methods using acid and water. During the reaction, phospholipids in the oil are hydrolyzed to free fatty acids and lyso-phospholipids. The process is typically monitored by off-line laboratory measurements of the free fatty acid content in the oil, and there is a demand for an automated on-line monitoring strategy to increase both yield and understanding of the process dynamics. This paper investigates the option of using Near-Infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to monitor the enzymatic degumming reaction. A new method for balancing spectral noise and keeping the chemical information in the spectra obtained from a rapid changing chemical process is suggested. The effect of a varying measurement averaging window width (0 to 300 s), preprocessing method and variable selection algorithm is evaluated, aiming to obtain the most accurate and robust calibration model for prediction of the free fatty acid content (% (w/w)). The optimal Partial Least Squares (PLS) model includes eight wavelength variables, as found by rPLS (recursive PLS) calibration, and yields an RMSECV (Root Mean Square Error of Cross Validation) of 0.05% (w/w) free fatty acid using five latent variables.
Highlights
Published: 5 October 2021With an increasing demand for vegetable oils, both in the food industry and for the production of biofuels, there is a call for an effective and environmentally friendly method to remove naturally occurring phospholipids, known as “gums”, during oil refinement [1].Degumming has traditionally been carried out using water followed by a chemical refining step, such as acid degumming, but is today generally conducted using enzymatic methods, which offer both higher oil yield and lower environmental impact [2]
The initial free fatty acids (FFA) content was significantly higher in the rapeseed oil than in the soybean oil, and both levels were in accordance with average oil compositions [28]
This study demonstrated that it is possible to monitor the rapid dynamics of enzymatic degumming reaction with free-run NIR spectroscopy
Summary
Degumming has traditionally been carried out using water followed by a chemical refining step, such as acid degumming, but is today generally conducted using enzymatic methods, which offer both higher oil yield and lower environmental impact [2]. Degumming is an essential step in the refinement process of vegetable oils, as it serves to reduce the content of phospholipids. Enzymatic degumming is well established, and different types of phospholipases are commercially available. The use of phospholipase type A (PLA) is an efficient way to reduce the content of phospholipids by hydrolyzation into lyso-phospholipids and free fatty acids (FFA). This enzymatic action results in higher oil yield, both due to higher
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