Patent ID: 7161055
Filing Date: 2007-01-09
Classification: A23L,C11B,C11C

Abstract:
1. A method for separating squalenes, carotenes, tocols, and sterols from a vegetable oil under isocratic conditions, comprising the steps of: a) esterifying the vegetable oil with an alcohol to provide a first mixture comprising glycerol, fatty acid esters, and the squalenes, carotenes, tocols, and sterols; b) separating the glycerol from the fatty acids and the squalenes, carotenes, tocols, and sterols to provide a second mixture comprising the fatty acids and the squalenes, carotenes, tocols, and sterols; c) distilling the second mixture at a temperature ranging from room temperature to 200° C. and a pressure ranging from 0 to 150 mm Torr to provide a concentrate comprising squalenes, carotenes, tocols, and sterols; d) diluting of the concentrate in a non-polar solvent or a mixture of non-polar solvent and a polar solvent with a ratio of non-polar solvent to polar solvent ranges from 90:10 to 99.5:0.5; e) adsorbing the squalenes, carotenes, tocols, and sterols in the diluted concentrate obtained from step (d) on an adsorbent; f) desorbing the minor components from the absorbent at a pressure from 0.2 to 50 bar using a non-polar solvent or a mixture of non-polar solvent and a polar solvent wherein the ratio of the non-polar solvent to the polar solvent ranges from 90:10 to 99:0.5 to provide the squalenes, carotenes, tocols, and sterols.