Patent ID: 8354551

Claim:
A method for making a refined esterified propoxylated glycerin fat substitute, wherein the method comprises, in sequence, the steps of: a). esterifying a propoxylated glycerin with a stoichiometric excess of one or more fatty acids to provide an initial esterification reaction mixture for a time and at a temperature effective to achieve at least 95% esterification of the propoxylated glycerin; b). contacting the initial esterification reaction mixture with a bleaching clay for a time and at a temperature effective to reduce the color of the initial esterification reaction mixture; c). filtering the initial esterification reaction mixture to remove the bleaching clay; d). subjecting the initial esterification reaction mixture to steam stripping to remove unreacted fatty acid to provide a deacidified and deodorized product; e). combining the deacidified and deodorized product with activated carbon and an antioxidant and contacting the deacidified and deodorized product with the activated carbon for a time and at a temperature effective to reduce the color of the deacidified and deodorized product; and f). filtering the deacidified and deodorized product to remove the activated carbon.