Selective synthesis of human milk fat-style structured triglycerides from microalgal oil in a microfluidic reactor packed with immobilized lipase

• Published in: Bioresource technology 2016-11, Vol.220 (C), p.132-141
• Main Authors: Wang, Jun, Liu, Xi, Wang, Xu-Dong, Dong, Tao, Zhao, Xing-Yu, Zhu, Dan, Mei, Yi-Yuan, Wu, Guo-Hua
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 09 BIOMASS FUELS; Bioreactors; Coproduct; Crystallization; Fat Substitutes - metabolism; Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; Lipase - metabolism; Microalgae - metabolism; Microalgae oil; Microfluidic bioconversion; Microfluidics - methods; Milk, Human - chemistry; Models, Chemical; Palmitic Acid; Plant Oils - metabolism; Polyunsaturated fatty acid; Structured triacylglycerols; Triglycerides - biosynthesis
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2016.08.023

[Display omitted] •UPU-style STAGs was produced in a packed bed microreactor with algae oil as feedstock.•Incorporation of PUFAs is 9% higher than that in a batch reactor.•Reaction time was reduced by 87.5% compared to that needed in a batch reactor.•The Michaelis constant decreased ten times compared to that needed in a batch reactor.•The lipase reuse times increased 2.25-fold compared with that in a batch reactor. Human milk fat-style structured triacylglycerols were produced from microalgal oil in a continuous microfluidic reactor packed with immobilized lipase for the first time. A remarkably high conversion efficiency was demonstrated in the microreactor with reaction time being reduced by 8 times, Michaelis constant decreased 10 times, the lipase reuse times increased 2.25-fold compared to those in a batch reactor. In addition, the content of palmitic acid at sn-2 position (89.0%) and polyunsaturated fatty acids at sn-1, 3 positions (81.3%) are slightly improved compared to the product in a batch reactor. The increase of melting points (1.7°C) and decrease of crystallizing point (3°C) implied higher quality product was produced using the microfluidic technology. The main cost can be reduced from $212.3 to $14.6 per batch with the microreactor. Overall, the microfluidic bioconversion technology is promising for modified functional lipids production allowing for cost-effective approach to produce high-value microalgal coproducts.