Supercritical fluid fractionation of fatty acid ethyl esters from butteroil.

Countercurrent supercritical fractionation of the fatty acid ethyl esters from butteroil has been investigated. The main objective of the present study was to obtain extracts rich in short- and medium-chain fatty acid ethyl esters. To that end, transesterification of the original butteroil was used to transform the triacylglycerols into the corresponding fatty acid ethyl esters. Then, several supercritical fluid extractions were carried out at pressures ranging from 8.9 to 18.6 MPa and at 2 different temperatures (48 and 60 degrees C). The flow ratio of CO2 to butteroil was 15. Composition and yield of short- and medium-chain fatty acid ethyl esters was evaluated at different extraction conditions. Extracts containing approximately 70% short- and medium-chain fatty acid ethyl esters were obtained at 101 bar and 60 degrees C, and can be used as starting material for the production of highly valuable functional lipids.