Other

Ruth Ganswindt

Siegfried Peter

Eckhard Weidner

Hans-Peter Neuner

Process for the transesterification of fat and/or oil of biological origin by means of alcoholysis

The invention concerns a method for producing fatty acid esters from fatty acid triglyceride and in particular from animal or vegetable fats and oils by transesterification with a monovalent low-molecular weight alcohol in the presence of a homogeneous or heterogeneous catalyst. In accordance with the invention, the formed fatty acid ester is extracted from the reaction mixture by means of a near-critical extractant. In this way fatty acid esters are obtained at high yield and excellent purity. As the extractant preferably a low pressure gas having a reduced temperature at 20&deg; C. of about 0.7, preferably of equal to or greater than 0.7, is employed. Preferred extractants are carbon dioxide, propane, butane, dimethyl ether, ethyl acetate or mixtures thereof.

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Munich, Georgia

Ruth Ganswindt