A method is provided for preventing or reducing the formation of monochloropropanediols (MCPDs) or monochloropropanediol esters (MCPDEs) in triacylglyceride oil, comprising the steps: (a) concentrating insoluble components in liquid triacylglyceride oil by (i) applying a 5 centrifugational force on the triacylglyceride oil whilst maintaining the triacylglyceride oil above its melting temperature; and/or (ii) allowing the insoluble components to settle by gravitational force whilst maintaining the triacylglyceride oil above its melting temperature; (b) separating the triacylglyceride oil from the insoluble components; (c) optionally applying additional refining steps and (d) applying heat treatment to the triacylglyceride oil. A purified 10 triacylglyceride oil obtainable by the method of the invention is also provided.

The present invention concerns a method for preparing dehydrated avocados, a method for preparing an unsaponifiable-rich avocado oil, a method for preparing an avocado cake rich in sugars and proteins, and a method for preparing an unsaponifiable fraction; these methods all comprising a step of drying avocado slices by means of microwaves until dehydrated avocados are obtained having residual moisture less than or equal to 5%; during this step, the water evaporated under the action of the microwaves being eliminated by a warm air stream with a temperature less than or equal to 80° C. and/or by air extraction.

The present technology provides a process of reducing, removing or eliminating organohalo, glycidol, and oxirane species from carboxylic acid esters streams and crude and refined triglyceride oils to provide a carboxylic acid ester stream or triglyceride oil with reduced levels or essentially free of organohalo, glycidyl or other oxirane species. The process includes adding to the carboxylic acid ester stream or triglyceride oil an amount of a carboxylate anion and a cation counterion sufficient to react with the organohalo, glycidyl and oxirane species present.

The present invention relates to methods of producing industrial products from plant lipids, particularly from vegetative parts of plants. In particular, the present invention provides oil products such as biodiesel and synthetic diesel and processes for producing these, as well as plants having an increased level of one or more non-polar lipids such as triacylglycerols and an increased total non-polar lipid content. In one particular embodiment, the present invention relates to combinations of modifications in two or more of lipid handling enzymes, oil body proteins, decreased lipid catabolic enzymes and/or transcription factors regulating lipid biosynthesis to increase the level of one or more non-polar lipids and/or the total non-polar lipid content and/or mono-unsaturated fatty acid content in plants or any part thereof. In an embodiment, the present invention relates to a process for extracting lipids. In another embodiment, the lipid is converted to one or more hydrocarbon products in harvested plant vegetative parts to produce alkyl esters of the fatty acids which are suitable for use as a renewable biodiesel fuel.

The present invention relates to methods of producing industrial products from plant lipids, particularly from vegetative parts of plants. In particular, the present invention provides oil products such as biodiesel and synthetic diesel and processes for producing these, as well as plants having an increased level of one or more non-polar lipids such as triacylglycerols and an increased total non-polar lipid content. In one particular embodiment, the present invention relates to combinations of modifications in two or more of lipid handling enzymes, oil body proteins, decreased lipid catabolic enzymes and/or transcription factors regulating lipid biosynthesis to increase the level of one or more non-polar lipids and/or the total non-polar lipid content and/or mono-unsaturated fatty acid content in plants or any part thereof. In an embodiment, the present invention relates to a process for extracting lipids. In another embodiment, the lipid is converted to one or more hydrocarbon products in harvested plant vegetative parts to produce alkyl esters of the fatty acids which are suitable for use as a renewable biodiesel fuel.

Aspects of the present invention provide methods of drying lecithin in a batch reaction, comprising the steps of obtaining lecithin-containing material (derived from a crude refining stream) comprising 15-50% water, 10-30% acetone insoluble matter, and 10-20% free fatty acid; adding a fatty acid source (also derived from a crude refining stream) to the lecithin-containing material composition to obtain a lecithin/fatty acid reaction mixture; and blowing dry gas through the gum/fatty acid reaction mixture to obtain a resultant dried lecithin fatty acid blend having a water content of less than 2%. The resultant dried lecithin fatty acid blend may be used in asphalt or oil field applications.

Aspects of the present invention provide methods of drying lecithin in a batch reaction, comprising the steps of obtaining lecithin-containing material (derived from a crude refining stream) comprising 15-50% water, 10-30% acetone insoluble matter, and 10-20% free fatty acid; adding a fatty acid source (also derived from a crude refining stream) to the lecithin-containing material composition to obtain a lecithin/fatty acid reaction mixture; and blowing dry gas through the gum/fatty acid reaction mixture to obtain a resultant dried lecithin fatty acid blend having a water content of less than 2%. The resultant dried lecithin fatty acid blend may be used in asphalt or oil field applications.

A method for purification of a triacylglyceride oil comprising the steps: (a) admixing the triacylglyceride oil with an auxiliary trapping agent, wherein the melting temperatures of the triacylglyceride oil and the auxiliary trapping agent are substantially different, wherein the auxiliary trapping agent is soluble in the triacylglyceride oil, and wherein the auxiliary trapping agent is more polar than the triacylglyceride oil; (b) (i) crystallising the auxiliary trapping agent by cooling the mixture of step (a) below the melting temperature of the auxiliary trapping agent, wherein the auxiliary trapping agent has a higher melting temperature than the triacylglyceride oil; or (ii) crystallising the triacylglyceride oil by cooling the mixture of step (a) below the melting 10 temperature of the triacylglyceride oil, wherein the triacylglyceride oil has a higher melting temperature than the auxiliary trapping agent; and (c) separating solid and liquid phases of the product of step (b).

A method for producing an EPA alkyl ester-containing composition includes: preparing a raw material oil containing an EPA alkyl ester in an amount of from 50 to 92% by mass in the total fatty acids, in which a mass ratio of a DHA alkyl ester to the EPA alkyl ester contained in the raw material oil is 3.3% by mass or less and further a ratio of trans isomers in the EPA alkyl ester contained in the raw material oil is 2% by mass or less; bringing the raw material oil into contact with an aqueous solution containing a silver salt; recovering the aqueous solution containing the silver salt brought into contact with the raw material oil; bringing the recovered aqueous solution containing the silver salt into contact with an organic solvent; and recovering the organic solvent brought into contact with the aqueous solution containing the silver salt.

A method for producing an EPA alkyl ester-containing composition includes: preparing a raw material oil containing an EPA alkyl ester in an amount of from 50 to 92% by mass in the total fatty acids, in which a mass ratio of a DHA alkyl ester to the EPA alkyl ester contained in the raw material oil is 3.3% by mass or less and further a ratio of trans isomers in the EPA alkyl ester contained in the raw material oil is 2% by mass or less; bringing the raw material oil into contact with an aqueous solution containing a silver salt; recovering the aqueous solution containing the silver salt brought into contact with the raw material oil; bringing the recovered aqueous solution containing the silver salt into contact with an organic solvent; and recovering the organic solvent brought into contact with the aqueous solution containing the silver salt.