Abstract: A process for making squalene involving: (a) providing a hydrocarbon-containing intermediate product derived from a vegetable oil; (b) providing an extractant; and (c) extracting squalene-containing starting material from the hydrocarbon-containing intermediate product to form a squalene-containing raffinate phase and an extract phase.

Abstract: A method for removing free fatty acids from fats or oils of biological origin or their steam distillates by extracting the free fatty acids with a mixture of basic organic nitrogen compounds and water as an extraction medium at a temperature below the boiling point of the organic nitrogen compounds. The content of the basic organic nitrogen compounds in the extraction medium is 20-30% by weight. In this manner, the formation of a viscous soapstock which is difficult to remove is prevented. The boiling point of the basic organic nitrogen compounds used is the same as or above boiling point of water and below the boiling point of the fatty acids to be extracted in order to enable simple recovery of the extraction medium.

Abstract: To remove free fatty acids from fats or oils of biological origin or their steam distillates, it is proposed to extract the free fatty acids with a mixture of basic organic nitrogen compounds and water as extraction medium at a temperature below the boiling point of the organic nitrogen compounds. The content of the basic organic nitrogen compounds in the extraction medium shall be at least about 20% by weight and at most about 60% by weight, preferably between about 30% by weight and about 40% by weight. In this manner, the formation of a viscous soapstock which is difficult to remove is prevented. The boiling point of the basic organic nitrogen compound(s) used shall be the same as or above the boiling point of water and below the boiling point of the fatty acids to be extracted in order to enable simple recovery of the extraction medium.

Abstract: A process is described for extracting carotenes from carotene-containing materials, in particular from fats and oils of biological origin, which provides for extraction of carotene-containing material with an extractant comprising at least one member selected from the group consisting of acetonitrile, N-methylpyrrolidone, N,Ndimethylformamide, N,N-dimethylacetamide, 4-formylmorpholine, 4-acetylmorpholine, 4-methylmorpholine, 4-phenylmorpholine.