Patent ID: 6841692

Claim:
A method for producing a saturated fatty acid or an unsaturated fatty acid, comprising: i) determining a ratio of saturated fatty acids in a raw fatty acids mixture; ii) selecting a polyglycerol ester of a fatty acid based on said ratio of saturated fatty acids in said raw fatty acids mixture; and iii) dry fractionating a saturated fatty acid and an unsaturated fatty acid in said raw fatty acids mixture by adding said polyglycerol ester of a fatty acid to said raw fatty acids mixture, wherein polyglycerol ester of a fatty acid has a clear melting point (y) satisfying the following formula (1): 0.38 x +13 ≦y ≦0.54 x +44 (1) wherein x is a ratio (% by weight) of saturated fatty acids (C 12 to C 22 ) in said raw fatty acids mixture, and y is a clear melting point (° C.) of polyglycerol ester of a fatty acid.