Patent ID: 7368583
Filing Date: 2008-05-06
Classification: A61P,C11B,C11C

Abstract:
1. A process for recovery of plant sterols and tocopherols from deodorization distillates formed during chemical or physical refining of vegetable oils, by distillation or saponification of the components present, which comprises the steps of i) removing free fatty acids from the deodorization distillate by vacuum distillation or by continuous solvent saponification to obtain a material comprising sterols, tocopherols, hydrocarbons, mono-, di- and triglycerides as main components, ii) after the removal of the free fatty acids, reacting the obtained material comprising sterols, tocopherols, hydrocarbons, mono-, di- and triglycerides as main components with an aromatic carboxylic acid anhydride having at least 7 carbon atoms at a temperature of 50-150° C., under reduced pressure over 0.5-2 hours, iii) after the treatment with anhydride, removing tocopherols from the reaction mixture of step ii) by applying short-path distillation, and iv) recovering crystalline free sterols from the distillate residue containing sterol esters, di- and triglycerides by transesterification.