Patent ID: 8536357

Claim:
A process for reducing the content of free fatty acids in fats and/or oils comprising the steps of: 1) reacting the free fatty acids in said fats and/or oils with alcohols at temperatures between 60 and 120° C. using acidic, heterogeneous ion exchange resin catalysts, wherein said acidic, heterogeneous ion exchange resin catalysts are present in a continuous alcoholic phase in which said free fatty acids are present in finely dispersed form and wherein the reaction zone in which the foregoing reaction is performed is flowed through vertically from the top downward, and 2) optionally removing water, and optionally alcohol at least partly together with it, and 3) optionally further reacting the remaining free fatty acids in the product of step 1) or optionally 2) with alcohols at temperatures between 60 and 120° C. using acidic, heterogeneous ion exchange resin catalysts, wherein in step 1) and optionally in step 3), a continuous alcoholic phase is present at the upper end of the reaction zone.