Patent ID: 7851643

Claim:
A method of manufacturing an ester composition comprising ethyl esters of linear monocarboxylic acids having 6 to 26 carbon atoms from a vegetable or an animal oil, neutral or acid, virgin or recycled, said method comprising: a stage 1 of transesterifying said vegetable or animal oil with methanol, in the presence of a heterogeneous catalyst comprising a combination of at least one metallic oxide and alumina or a combination of at least two metallic oxides and possibly alumina; a stage 2 of transesterifying the resultant methyl ester product from stage 1 with ethanol in the presence of a heterogeneous catalyst as defined in stage 1, so as to produce a mixture rich in said ethyl esters compared to said methyl esters; and wherein prior to stage 2 removing substantially all excess methanol and resultant glycerine from a resultant methyl ester product from stage 1.