Patent ID: 6129945
Filing Date: 2000-10-10
Classification: A23C,C11B

Abstract:
A process for reducing free fatty acids (FFA) present in an anhydrous liquid animal fat to form a processed animal fat which comprises the steps of reacting:(a) providing a reaction mixture of the free fatty acids in the liquid animal fat with a water solution of an alkali metal hydroxide selected from the group consisting of potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide and mixtures thereof at an elevated temperature with mixing so that the FFA present in the liquid animal fat forms a soluble fatty acid salt (SFAS);(b) reacting the SFAS with an alkaline earth metal salt so that the SFAS forms an insoluble fatty acid salt (IFAS) in the reaction mixture simultaneously with or after step (a); and(c) separating the IFAS from the reaction mixture to form the processed animal fat.