Serial connection of packed-bed reactors with different reaction temperatures: Enhanced operational stability for enzymatically interesterified trans-free lipid production

A packed-bed enzyme reactor (PBER) system using immobilized lipase was successfully developed for the continuous production of trans-free interesterified oil with fully hydrogenated canola oil (FHCO) and soybean oil. Optimal interesterification conditions were established by determining the effects of reaction temperature, flow rate, and substrate weight ratio on conversion degree. It was found out that flow rate had a significant effect on conversion degree. Optimal conditions were as follows: FHCO concentration, 38.2 %; flow rate, 0.4 mL/min; and reaction temperature, 81.4 °C. Predicted and experimental conversion degrees were 89.5 and 87.1 %, respectively. The operational stability of the immobilized lipase and conversion degree using the serially connected PBER was higher than a single PBER. The adjustment of the interesterification conditions made possible to produce the interesterified oils having various melting range. This study demonstrates that a multi-stage PBER system can be used to enzymatically produce trans-free interesterified oils with various polymorphic properties.