Structured lipids from rice bran oil and stearic acid using immobilized lipase from Rhizomucor miehei

The major objective of the present study was to prepare structured lipids rich in stearic acid from rice bran oil (RBO) using immobilized lipase (IM 60) from Rhizomucor miehei. The effects of incubation time and temperature, substrate molar ratio, and enzyme load on incorporation of stearic acid were studied. Acidolysis reactions were performed in hexane. Pancreatic lipase‐catalyzed sn‐2 positional analysis and tocopherol analyses were performed before and after enzymatic modification. The kinetics of the reaction was studied and maximum incorporation of stearic acid was observed at 6 h, at 37 °C, when the triacylglycerol and stearic acid molar ratio was maintained at 1 : 6 and the enzyme concentration was 10% of total substrates weight. Stearic acid in RBO after acidolysis was increased from 2.28 to 48.5%, with a simultaneous decrease in palmitic, oleic and linoleic acids. HPLC analysis of tocopherols and tocotrienols was carried out and their content in modified RBO was not significantly affected compared to that of native RBO. The oryzanol content of the modified RBO was reduced from 1.02 to 0.68%. Melting and crystallizing characteristics of the modified fat were studied using differential scanning calorimetry. The total solid fat content at 25 °C increased from 26.12 to 34.8% with an increase in stearic acid incorporation into RBO from 38 to 48%, but it was comparatively less than for cocoa butter and vanaspati. However, the modified RBO completely melted at 37 °C and was useful as plastic fat for various culinary purposes, bakery and confectionary applications. The results of the present study indicated that structured lipids prepared from RBO rich in stearic acid retained their beneficial nutraceuticals; in addition, they do not contain any trans fatty acids.