Incorporation of long chain n-3 PUFA into rice bran oil by enzymatic acidolysis

The production of structured lipids by acidolysis of rice bran oil (RBO) with long chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids
(PUFA) in hexane was carried out using immobilized lipase from Rhizomucor miehei. Long chain n-3 PUFA obtained after
hydrolysis of cod liver oil, were used as acyl donors. The study of complex interaction among incubation time and
temperature, substrate to molar ratio and enzyme concentration and identification of the optimal combination have been
carried out using central composite rotatable design (CCRD) experiments. The experimental data was fitted to a response
surface method based on the CCRD, and linear relationship was observed between the predicted and observed values. The
optimum conditions generated from the models indicated that maximum incorporation of eicosapentaenoic acid and
docosahexaenoic acid were ~ 12% at 1:10 molar ratio of RBO: long chain n-3 PUFA, when incubation was carried out for
26 h at 40°C and enzyme concentration was 5.5% of total substrates weight. Incubation time and temperature did not affect
the incorporation significantly whereas incorporation of long chain n-3 PUFA into RBO was significantly increased with
increase in enzyme concentration and substrate molar ratio.