Patent ID: 6395778
Filing Date: 2002-05-28
Classification: C11B,C11C

Abstract:
A process for making a mixture comprising a polyunsaturated fatty acid ester, said process comprising:transesterifying an oil from Schizochytrium sp. with an alcohol in the presence of a base to form a saturated fatty acid ester and said polyunsaturated fatty acid ester, said fatty acid esters being formed from said alcohol and fatty acid residues of at least one glyceride in said oil; dissolving urea in a medium comprising said fatty acid esters to form a medium comprising said fatty acid esters and dissolved urea; cooling or concentrating said medium comprising said fatty acid esters and dissolved urea to form (a) a precipitate comprising urea and at least a portion of said saturated fatty acid ester, and (b) a liquid fraction comprising at least most of said polyunsaturated fatty acid ester; and separating said precipitate from said liquid fraction, wherein said polyunsaturated fatty acid ester has Formula (V): the alcohol is R3â€”OH, R3 is a hydrocarbyl or a substituted hydrocarbyl, and R4 is a straight chain hydrocarbyl comprising 21 carbon atoms and at least 2 carbon-carbon double bonds.