Patent ID: 8613780

Claim:
A process for preparing a fatty acid ester mixture, the process comprising: (a) reacting an impure fatty acid methyl ester mixture with at least one alkyl alcohol containing 2 to 8 carbon atoms in the presence of a base or acid, wherein: (i) the impure fatty acid methyl ester mixture comprises fatty acid methyl ester, methanol, and one or more of a monoglyceride, a diglyceride, and a triglyceride as impurities; (ii) the impure fatty acid methyl ester mixture is free from fatty acid alkyl esters with alkyl ester groups containing 2 or more carbon atoms; (iii) the at least one alkyl alcohol is free from methanol; and (iv) the reaction partially transesterifies the impure fatty acid methyl ester mixture to produce a mixture of fatty acid alkyl esters containing at least some fatty acid methyl esters and at least some fatty acid alkyl esters with alkyl ester groups containing 2 to 8 carbon atoms; and (b) removing methanol formed in the reaction and unreacted alkyl alcohol to produce the fatty acid ester mixture.