Patent ID: 8338564

Claim:
A method of preparing phytosterols from tall oil pitch containing steryl esters, said method comprising the steps of: (a) converting said steryl esters to free phytosterols while in said pitch to produce a modified pitch containing said free phytosterols including the steps of (i) saponifying said tall oil pitch with an alcohol-free solution consisting essentially of water containing an alkali metal base, (ii) neutralizing said saponified pitch with an acid, and (iii) treating said neutralizing pitch to remove water, the resulting pitch with such water removed defining said modified pitch; (b) distilling said modified pitch in a first evaporator to remove light ends from said modified pitch and produce a bottom fraction containing said free phytosterols; (c) distilling only said bottom fraction in a second evaporator to produce a light phase distillate containing said free phytosterols; (d) dissolving said light phase distillate in a solvent comprising an alcohol to produce a solution containing said free phytosterols; (e) cooling said solution to produce a slurry with said free phytosterols crystallized in said slurry; and, (f) washing and filtering said slurry to isolate said crystallized phytosterols.