Patent ID: 7179929

Claim:
A process comprising: (a) isomerizing a fatty acid lower alkyl ester corresponding to the general formula (I) in the presence of a basic catalyst at a temperature of from 100 to 160° C., to form a conjugated fatty acid lower alkyl ester: R 1 CO—OR 2 (I) wherein R 1 CO represents an acyl radical having from 16 to 22 carbon atoms and at least two carbon-carbon unsaturations and R 2 represents an alkyl radical having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms; and (b) transesterifying the conjugated fatty acid lower alkyl ester with glycerol to form a conjugated fatty acid glyceride, wherein a lower alkanol corresponding to the general formula R 2 OH is formed, wherein R 2 is as defined above, and the lower alkanol is continuously removed from the transesterification reaction.