Abstract: The present invention pertains to a process for the production of polyol fatty acid polyesters by reacting a reactant mixture of polyol, a fatty acid lower alkyl ester, a transesterification catalyst and an alkali metal soap emulsifier. The process comprises removing non-dissolved alkali metal soap from the reaction mixture at a degree of transesterification of more than 60%, preferably 65-90%, and recycling the alkali metal soap that is removed during the transesterification to the starting reactant mixture. The invention is applicable both to a batch-wise polyol polyester synthesis and to a continuous synthesis.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a process for the synthesis of polyol fatty-acid esters by reacting a polyol and a fatty-acid lower-alkyl ester under substantially solvent-free conditions in the presence of a transesterification catalyst and an emulsifier. The process comprises a continuous initial reaction stage in a first reaction zone wherein a steady-state conversion is achieved of over 1% and a further reaction stage in which the reaction mixture from said first zone is further reacted to the required polyol fatty-acid esters in one or more subsequent reaction zones.