Determination and Comparison of Equilibrium Data of Various Plant‐Based Fatty Acid Mixtures

Multistage melt crystallization of a variety of plant‐based polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) mixtures was conducted to obtain an overview on their liquid‐solid equilibrium behavior. Crystal fraction and mother liquor samples were analyzed at every stage. Phase behavior diagrams at low saturated fatty acid concentrations were investigated in detail as they are of significant technical relevance with respect to efficient depletion of the saturated content from the samples. A high oleic acid content in the PUFA mixtures led to difficulties in depleting the mother liquor from the saturated content by melt crystallization. Thermograms from the differential scanning calorimetry were supplemented with illustrations which allow a novel interpretation of results and verification of conclusions.