Patent ID: 6506916
Filing Date: 2003-01-14
Classification: C11B

Abstract:
A process for refining fatty substances that contain fatty acids which comprises:preparing a reaction medium by mixing the fatty substances with an aqueous medium containing one of an alcohol or a polyol; removing free fatty acids from the fatty substances in a neutralization step by gradually adding a base to the reaction medium to increase and maintain the pH in the range of about 9 to 11 so as to partition the free fatty acids between a lipid phase and an aqueous phase, containing the alcohol or polyol, which phase is nonmiscible with the lipid phase, and to form soaps which are solubilized in the aqueous phase, thus producing a shift in equilibrium and a gradual deacidification of the lipid phase until the pH is stabilized in the range of 9 to 11; and separating the aqueous phase from the lipid phase to obtain the refined fatty substance.