The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 02, 1996
Filed:
Apr. 25, 1994
Takashi Yagi, Chiba, JP;
Masakazu Higurashi, Chiba, JP;
Hiroka Tsuruoka, Chiba, JP;
Isao Nomura, Ibaraki, JP;
Showa Sangyo Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
This invention provides processes for the refining of oil and fat by which phospholipids in the oil and fat to be treated can be decomposed and removed efficiently. Particularly, it provides a process for the refining of oil and fat which comprises reacting, in an emulsion, the oil and fat with an enzyme having an activity to decompose glycerol-fatty acid ester bonds in glycerophospholipids (e.g., pancreas-derived phospholipase A.sub.2); and another process in which the enzyme-treated oil and fat is washed with water or an acidic aqueous solution. Preferably, the acidic aqueous solution to be used in the washing step is a solution of at least one acid selected from the group consisting of citric acid, acetic acid, phosphoric acid and salts thereof. Also, it is preferred that the emulsified condition is formed using 30 weight parts or more of water per 100 weight parts of the oil and fat. Since oil and fat can be purified without employing the conventional alkali refining step, generation of washing waste water and industrial waste can be reduced. In addition, the recovery yield of oil is improved because loss of neutral oil and fat due to their inclusion in these wastes does not occur in the inventive process.