Abstract: The invention relates to the utilisation of fatty materials with substantial free fatty acid content in the production of biodiesel by the use of microbial enzymes that are effective in a solvent-free process for the production of esters of fatty acids and C1-C3 alkyl alcohols.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for preparing a vegetable protein concentrate from oleaginous vegetable material that comprises the steps of: a) pre-treating the oleaginous vegetable material to open the cells; b) extracting the pre-treated vegetable material in a first extractor with an apolar solvent, to produce a solvent-wet, defatted vegetable material; c) contacting the defatted vegetable material with aqueous ethanol with an ethanol concentration of at least 80% by weight to produce a ethanol-wet, defatted vegetable material; d) wetting the ethanol-wet, defatted vegetable material with aqueous ethanol; e) extracting the vegetable material in an ultimate extractor to produce a a solvent-wet proteinaceous material; f) desolventising said solvent-wet proteinaceous material to produce a vegetable protein concentrate.

Abstract: The invention provides a process and an apparatus for scrubbing vapours generated during the vacuum stripping step of fatty glycerides, said process comprising bringing said vapours in contact with their liquid condensate and extracting said liquid condensate with a polar extraction solvent or solvent mixture.

Abstract: The invention provides operating the dry or solvent fractionation of oils and fats in a crystallizer comprising a crystallization vessel (1,2), an agitator, cooling means and a drive, wherein said drive provides said agitator with an oscillating motion, and/or a rotating motion around an axis, with the proviso that each point of said agitator moves at substantially the same linear speed. The invention also provides a crystallizer comprising a crystallization vessel (1,2) having a polygonal cross-section, an agitator and a drive, wherein said drive provides said agitator with an oscillating motion, and wherein said agitator is not inclined to the moving direction.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described for the production of a crystal slurry during the crystallization step of fractionation processes of edible oils and fats and related oil derivatives. The crystallization process for edible oil and fats is carried out in a crystallizer with stationary heat exchange elements, wherein the contents of said crystallizer are made to move along said heat exchange elements in an oscillatory manner without the use of an internal agitator. The crystallizer for edible oil and fats with stationary heat exchange elements is also described.

Abstract: A process for the production and purification of fatty acid esters of lower alkyl alcohols with improved filtration characteristics comprising the steps of: a) transesterifying a mixture of fatty acid esters of glycerol with a lower alkyl alcohol while using an alkaline catalyst; b) separating the reaction mixture resulting from step (a) into a glycerol phase and a fatty acid lower alkyl ester phase; c) inactivating the catalytic intermediates present in said fatty acid lower alkyl ester phase; d) removing the lower alkyl alcohol from the mixture resulting from step (c) by evaporation at reduced pressure to a value of less than 2% by weight; e) treating the evaporation residue resulting from step (d) with water; and f) isolating the fatty acid esters of lower alcohols by drying the product resulting from step (e); and biodiesel containing FAME produced according to this process.

Abstract: This invention provides a process for forming fatty acid esters of C1-4 alkyl alcohols by alkaline transesterification of a glyceride oil, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a glyceride oil with a free fatty acid content below 2% more preferably below 0.5 weight % expressed as oleic acid; (b) mixing said glyceride oil with at least a part of one or more alcoholic phases originating from the alkaline transesterification as referred to above; (c) separating the mixture thus formed into a heavy, alcoholic phase and a light, pre-treated fatty phase; and (d) transesterifying said pre-treated fatty phase with said C1-4 alkyl alcohols. The transesterified product can be used in biodiesel production.

Abstract: Process for the production of esters of fatty acids and C1-C5 alkyl alcohols comprising the steps of: (a) providing a fatty feed comprising a triglyceride oil or fat, partial glycerides and/or free fatty acids, (b) neutralising said fatty feed by vacuum stripping at a temperature from 200° C. to 280° C., thus providing a vapour stream and a residue, (c) collecting a distillate by scrubbing said vapour stream, (d) transesterifying said residue with a C1-C5 alkyl alcohol while using an alkaline catalyst, (e) separating the transesterification reaction mixture from step (d) into a fraction comprising C1-C5 alkyl esters of fatty acids and an alcoholic fraction (a) wherein at least part of free acids obtained as side products in step (a) and/or (c) and/or (e) are esterifyed with an alcohol using an acid catalyst, the product of this esterification being added to said fatty feed or said residue.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and installation for the dry fractionation of edible oils and fats and related products, said method comprising the steps of: a) solidifying the product in a crystallizer comprising at least one cooling chamber that is provided with at least one wall permitting heat transfer, to form a solid block of crystallized material; b) discharging the chambers and collecting the block; c) crushing the block so that a pumpable paste is obtained; d) pumping this paste into a filter press; e) separating this paste into an olein fraction and a stearin fraction by filtration and collecting both fractions.

Abstract: The invention provides a process and an apparatus for scrubbing vapours generated during the vacuum stripping step of fatty glycerides, said process comprising bringing said vapours in contact with their liquid condensate and extracting said liquid condensate with a polar extraction solvent or solvent mixture.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for recuperating a triglyceride oil from wet gums from a vegetable oil, said process comprising the steps of: (a) providing wet gums by water de-gumming a crude vegetable oil, (b) mixing said wet gums with water containing a phospholipidolytic agent, (c) allowing the mixture to separate into two or more phases, said two or more phases including at least an oily phase and an aqueous phase, and (d) recuperating said oily phase.

Abstract: Equipment for use in the physical refining and deodorization of edible oils and fats, including a shell containing a number of superimposed trays for degassing, heating, cooling and deodorization purposes. The equipment also includes a scrubber that is located at the lowest part inside the deodoriser shell.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in a vacuum stripping process comprises a first stripping vessel (2); at least one second further downstream stripping vessel (3), said at least one second further downstream stripping vessel (3) containing at least two trays (12), (13), (14) and (15) each provided with sparging means (16), (17), (18) and (19) respectively, and further comprises a collector (4) connecting said first stripping vessel (2) and said at least one second stripping vessel (3), said collector (4) being provided with inlet openings above each said tray (12), (13), (14) and (15) and said collector (4) being connected to a pump (5) with a discharge into said first stripping vessel (2).

Abstract: A process for refining and degumming edible oils by ultrafiltration which produces a permeate fraction with reduced phosphatide content and retentate with increased phosphatide content, and wherein the ultrafiltration membrane is composed of a polymerical polymer of a vinylidene difluoride monomer.

Abstract: A process for refining and degumming edible oils by ultrafiltration which produces a permeate fraction with reduced phosphatide content and retentate with increased phosphatide content, and wherein the ultrafiltration membrane is composed of a polymerical polymer of a vinylidene difluoride monomer.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and installation for the dry fractionation of edible oils and fats and related products, said method comprising the steps of:

Abstract: Equipment for use in the physical refining and/or deodorization of edible oils and fats, comprising a shell containing a number of superimposed trays for degassing, heating, cooling and/or deodorization purposes and containing a scrubber, characterised in that the scrubber is located at the lowest part inside the deodoriser shell. The process makes use of such equipment.