Abstract: The present invention provides a robust and efficient process for reducing the cloud point of biodiesel fuel in which clathrates are formed from saturated fatty acid components as solvent is evaporated from a mixture of urea, methanol and fatty acid esters. The process speed can be fast, and is governed by the speed with which urea can be brought into clathrate forming contact with the fatty acid esters in the first instance, and then by the speed that solvent can be evaporated. Advantageously, substantially all of the solvent can be evaporated as pure solvent, which enhances process efficiencies and reduces cost. Additionally, substantially all of the urea can be used to form clathrates, further maximizing process efficiency.

Abstract: The present invention provides a robust and efficient process for reducing the cloud point of biodiesel fuel in which clathrates are formed from saturated fatty acid components as solvent is evaporated from a mixture of urea, methanol and fatty acid esters. The process speed can be fast, and is governed by the speed with which urea can be brought into clathrate forming contact with the fatty acid esters in the first instance, and then by the speed that solvent can be evaporated. Advantageously, substantially all of the solvent can be evaporated as pure solvent, which enhances process efficiencies and reduces cost. Additionally, substantially all of the urea can be used to form clathrates, further maximizing process efficiency.

Abstract: The present invention provides a robust and efficient process for reducing the cloud point of biodiesel fuel in which clathrates are formed from saturated fatty acid components as solvent is evaporated from a mixture of urea, methanol and fatty acid esters. The process speed can be fast, and is governed by the speed with which urea can be brought into clathrate forming contact with the fatty acid esters in the first instance, and then by the speed that solvent can be evaporated. Advantageously, substantially all of the solvent can be evaporated as pure solvent, which enhances process efficiencies and reduces cost. Additionally, substantially all of the urea can be used to form clathrates, further maximizing process efficiency.

Abstract: A process for separating a blend of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids or saturated and unsaturated fatty acid alky esters into a first fraction enriched with the saturated fatty acids or saturated fatty acid alkyl esters and a second fraction enriched with unsaturated fatty acids or unsaturated fatty acid alkyl esters. When separating fatty acids, the process includes the steps of (a) saponifying a blend of long chain saturated and unsaturated fatty acids to form free fatty acids, (b) complexing the free fatty acids with urea, and (c) separating the urea complexed free fatty acids into a first fraction enriched with saturated free fatty acids and a second fraction enriched with unsaturated free fatty acids.

Abstract: A process for extracting a wide range of lipophilic compounds from urea-containing solutions is described. The process utilises a near-critical fluid as the extraction solvent. The process is particularly applicable to the extraction of polyunsaturated fatty acids from the filtrate obtained upon urea fractionation, as employed in the processing of fish and other oils. In contrast to known processes, the lipophilic compounds may be extracted without the use of non-food grade solvents, and are suitable for pharmaceutical and cosmetic use.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of a composition comprising unsaturated compounds, in particular polyunsaturated compounds, which comprises concentrating and purifying the compounds by contact with silicon and/or aluminum derivatives. The process of the invention represents an advantageous substitute of the usual distillation processes, coupled or not to chromatographic processes, and allows to isolate and remove polar byproducts.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for isolating and purifying only a certain unsaturated fatty acid in a high purity from fatty acids present in oils including vegetable oils and fish oils by means of crystallization. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for isolating and purifying only the desired unsaturated fatty acid in a high purity from fatty acids present in oils by selectively using a urea-addition crystallization, and a cooling crystallization or a high liquid chromatography.

Abstract: Polyunsaturated fatty acids, as free fatty acids, fatty acid esters or fatty acid amides, especially EPA and/or DHA, DPC 9/02, are recovered from urea adducts, such as obtained as by-products in the processing of fish and other oils, by treatment with a subcritical or supercritical fluid.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for isolating and purifying only a certain unsaturated fatty acid in a high purity from fatty acids present in oils including vegetable oils and fish oils by means of crystallization. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for isolating and purifying only the desired unsaturated fatty acid in a high purity from fatty acids present in oils by selectively using a urea-addition crystallization, and a cooling crystallization or a high liquid chromatography.

Abstract: Methods for acidification of soapstock and recovery of acidulated fatty acids are disclosed. Further methods of conversion of the acidulated fatty acids to esters are also disclosed. Further methods of crystallizing the acidulated fatty acids from the extraction solvent at low temperatures and fractionating the acidulated fatty acids from the extraction solvent using urea are also disclosed. The novel method of adding both a monohydric alcohol to the soapstock to lower viscosity and a strong acid to hydrolyse the soaps prevents the formation of emulsions of soaps and oils. The preferred embodiment uses a soapstock such as soybean soapstock, sulphuric acid and isopropanol. The novel process allows the quantitative recovery of fatty acids and glyceride from the soapstock by removal of the alcohol by evaporation. Alternatively the fatty acids and glyceride may be converted to esters of monohydric alcohols.

Abstract: A water and allylic compound containing propoxylated glycerin stream is reduced in water content by evaporation and flashed at reduced pressure and elevated temperature to reduce the water content to 1000 ppm or less, and thereafter stripping allylic impurities from the propyxylated glycerin.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for treating an oil composition containing saturated and unsaturated fatty acids in the form of triglycerides, with at least some of the unsaturated fatty acids being polyunsaturated, in order to obtain a refined product with a higher concentration of the polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Abstract: Linoleic acid cannot be separated from linolenic acid by distillation or rectification because of the closeness of their boiling points. Linoleic acid is readily separated from linolenic acid by azeotropic distillation. Effective agents are nonane, dimethyl formamide, 2-nitropropane and pentyl propionate.

Abstract: A process for separating lipophilic compounds from other lipophilic compounds and a kit therefore are described, said process comprises the steps of:a) providing a mixture of the lipophilic compounds;b) providing urea dissolved in an inert solvent or solvent mixture in which said lipophilic compounds are at most only slightly soluble;c) contacting the mixture of lipophilic compounds with the urea, whereby said urea complex forming lipophilic compounds form complexes with the urea,d) separating the whole mixture into a two-phase mixture with lipophilic compounds forming a first phase and the solvent or solvent mixture forming a second phase, where the complexes formed are present as solids in the second phase, and the lipophilic compounds, which have not been complexed with urea, are present in the first phase,e) separating, and optionally purifying, the first phase from the second phase;f) heating the second phase to break the complexes and release the lipophilic compounds, thereby forming a two-phase mixture

Abstract: A composition concentrated in ethyl esters of polyunsaturated fatty acids is prepared by mixing a refined oil rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids with ethanol in the presence of a catalyst to obtain an ethanolyzate containing a glycerol phase and fatty acid ethyl ester phase. The fatty acid ethyl ester phase is separated from the glycerol phase and mixed with urea and ethanol to form a mixture, which is cooled to form a liquid phase containing fatty acid ethyl esters and a solid phase containing insoluble inclusion complexes. The liquid phase is separated from the solid phase to obtain a fraction enriched in ethyl esters of polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Abstract: A process for separation of aliphatic straight-chain compounds having terminal functional groups from mixtures containing isomers thereof branched in the .alpha.-position by precipitating the aliphatic, straight-chain compounds as their clathrates.

Abstract: A method for recovering at least one unsaturated fatty acid having sixteen or more carbon atoms and/or at least one compound of such a fatty acid from a mixture derived from vegetable, animal or marine sources is provided. Fatty acids and/or fatty acid compounds of the mixture, in free acid or esterified form, are passed into a mobile phase of liquid carbon dioxide in a column over a stationary phase. The stationary phase contains a support and a material bound to the support which contains at least one free electron pair and/or multiple bond. After eluting any saturated fatty acid or fatty acid compound of the same number of carbon atoms from the column, the unsaturated fatty acid and/or fatty acid compound is recovered in pure chemical form or as an enriched mixture.

Abstract: A mixture of branched fatty acids containing 18 carbon atoms such as commercial iso-stearic acid is treated to lower the freezing point to below -10.degree. C., by mixing with urea and a lower alcohol, such as methanol, and filtering. The product is useful in the production of low freezing point esters for use as lubricants.

Abstract: A mixture of fatty acids, including derivatives thereof, containing polyunsaturated fatty acids, including derivatives thereof, are reacted with urea in solution. The reaction medium is pumped through at least one scraped-surface heat exchanger for cooling the reaction medium for forming a dispersion of a solid inclusion complex and a liquid phase. The liquid phase which contains a fraction enriched with polyunsaturated fatty acids, including derivatives thereof, then is separated from the inclusion complex.

Abstract: The present invention provides a continuous method of purifying eicosapentaenoic acid and esters of eicosapentanoic acid, comprising (a) fractionally distilling a starting mixture containing eicosapentaenoic acid or esters of eicosapentaenoic acid using a system of at least three distillation columns connected in flow arrangement to separate a fraction containing eicosapentaenoic acid or esters of eicosapentaenoic acid and other C.sub.20 fatty acids from a fraction containing lower-number carbon fatty acids and from a fraction containing higher-number carbon fatty acids, and (b) continuously collecting the fraction containing eicosapentaenoic acid or esters of eicosapentaenoic acid, wherein the pressure in the distillation columns is maintained at 10 Torr or below and wherein the bottom temperature of the distillation columns is maintained at 210.degree. C. or below.

Abstract: Substantially pure stearidonic acid is isolated from a mixture of polyunsaturated fatty acids by fractionating at 25% to 35% by weight solution of fatty acids by high-performance reverse-phase liquid chromatography using a mobile phase of 75% to 95% by weight methanol and 25% to 5% by weight water. The isolated stearidonic acid is used to prepare pharmaceutical compositions which are administered to treat cardiovascular and thrombo-embolic diseases associated with platelet aggregation.

Abstract: A mixture of fatty acids, including derivatives thereof, containing polyunsaturated fatty acids, including derivatives thereof, are fractionated by reacting the mixture with urea in solution for forming a reaction medium which then is pumped at least through one scraped-surface heat exchanger for cooling the reaction medium for forming a dispersion of a solid inclusion complex and a liquid phase. The liquid phase then is separated from the inclusion complex for obtaining a fraction enriched with polyunsaturated fatty acids, including derivatives thereof.