PURIFICATION OF HIGHLY UNSATURATED FATTY ACID HAVING THREE UNSATURATED BONDS AND HAVING THE FIRST UNSATURATED BOND AT 6-POSITION

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain the subject compound little in coloration, not containing an isomer and free from a bitter taste in a high yield and in a high content by hydrolyzing a highly unsaturated fatty acid-containing oil or fat with an enzyme and subsequently removing the by-produced fatty acids except the target highly unsaturated fatty acid by a specific method. ;SOLUTION: This method for purifying the highly unsaturated fatty acid comprises hydrolyzing a highly unsaturated fatty acid-containing oil or fat (preferably borage oil, etc.) with a lipase for hydrolysis (e.g. a lipase obtained from a microorganism belonging to the genus Pseudomonas) to produce fatty acids and glycerol, selectively esterifying the by-produced fatty acids except the target highly unsaturated fatty acid with a 6-18C alcohol (preferably lauryl alcohol) in the presence of a lipase for synthesizing esters (e.g. a lipase obtained from a microorganism belonging to the genus Rhizopus) and subsequently extracting out the produced esters with a conventional solvent such as hexane. The content of the highly unsaturated fatty acid in the raw material oil or fat is preferably ≥45%, especially when a highly pure objective fatty acid is required.;COPYRIGHT: (C)1998,JPO