Selective hydrogenation of soybean oil in the presence of copper catalysts |
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Authors: | C Okkerse A de Jonge J W E Coenen A Rozendaal |
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Affiliation: | (1) Unilever Research Laboratory, Olivier van Noortlaan 120, Vlaardingen, The Netherlands |
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Abstract: | Many investigators associate the poor keeping properties of soybean oil with its linolenic acid content. On the other hand
the high linoleic acid content is a desired property from a nutritional point of view. We have therefore developed a process
for the preferential reduction of the linolenic acid content by selective hydrogenation. Conventional catalysts for the hydrogenation
of fats have a rather low selectivity in this respect. When linolenic acid in soybean oil is hardened (e.g., with a nickel
catalyst), most of the linoleic acid is converted into less unsaturated acids.
It was found that linolenic acid is hydrogenated much more preferentially in the presence of copper catalysts than in that
of nickel and other hydrogenation catalysts. At a linolenic acid content of 2%, soybean oil hardened with nickel catalyst
contained about 28% linoleic acid, whereas with copper catalyst the hardened soybean oil contained 49% linoleic acid.
By means of our process it is possible to manufacture a good keepable oil of, e.g., I.V. 115 and containing 1% linolenic acid
and 46% linoleic acid. The storage stability of this product is comparable with that of sunflower-seed oil. A liquid phase
yield of 86% is obtained after winterization at 5C for 18 hr.
The high selectivity for linolenate reduction of copper catalysts must be ascribed to the copper part of the catalyst. Investigations
into the structure of the catalyst indicate that the active center consists of copper metal crystallites; whether these centers
are promoted by the carrier or traces of other substances is under investigation. |
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