Valorization of agro‐industrial residues: Bioprocessing of animal fats to reduce their acidity

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2021-10-10

Authors

António A. Martins (Author) FEUP; Teresa M. Mata (Author) Other; Nídia de Sá Caetano (Author) FEUP; Soraia Andrade (Author) Other; Daniela Correia (Author) Other; Elisabete Matos (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Sustainability

Vol. 13 No. 9

Initial page: 10837

ISSN: 2071-1050

Publisher: MDPI

Indexing

ISI Web of Science

Scopus

Other information

DOI: 10.3390/su131910837

Abstract (EN): Adding value to agro‐industrial residues is becoming increasingly important, satisfying needs to promote resources’ use efficiency and a more sustainable and circular economy. This work performs a parametric and kinetic study of enzymatic esterification of lard and tallow with high acidity, obtained by the rendering of slaughter by‐products, allowing their use as a feed ingredient and increasing their market value. After an initial analysis of potential enzyme candidates, a Candida antarctica lipase B was selected as a biocatalyst for converting free fatty acids (FFA) to esters, using excess ethanol as the reagent. Results show that the fat acidity can be reduced by at least 67% in up to 3 h of reaction time at 45 °C, using the mass ratios of 3.25 ethanol/FFA and 0.0060 enzyme/fat. Kinetic modelling shows an irreversible second‐order rate law, function of FFA, and ethanol concentration better fitting the experimental results. Activation energy is 54.7 kJ/mol and pre-exponential factor is 4.6 × 106 L mol−1 min−1. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 18