This document describes methods and compositions for converting organic wastes into medium chain carboxylic acids (MCCAs). This document also describes methods and compositions for obtaining high yields of caproate from a fermentation broth comprising MCCAs.

Provided herein are blends oils or fatty acids comprising more than 50% medium chain fatty acids, or the fatty acid alkyl esters thereof, and having low melting points. Such blends are useful as a fuel or as a starting material for the production of, for example, a biodiesel. Also provided genetically altered or modified plants, modified such that the amount of medium chain fatty acids generated by the plant are increased. Further provided is a method of predicting the melting point of a blend of fatty acid methyl esters and the use of such a method for identifying blends suitable for use as, for example, a biodiesel.

Provided herein are blends oils or fatty acids comprising more than 50% medium chain fatty acids, or the fatty acid alkyl esters thereof, and having low melting points. Such blends are useful as a fuel or as a starting material for the production of, for example, a biodiesel. Also provided genetically altered or modified plants, modified such that the amount of medium chain fatty acids generated by the plant are increased. Further provided is a method of predicting the melting point of a blend of fatty acid methyl esters and the use of such a method for identifying blends suitable for use as, for example, a biodiesel.

The present invention generally relates to oil compositions and methods of producing such oil compositions. More particularly, the present invention relates to an oil composition recovered from a fermentation product as well as methods of recovering such oil compositions for use in various processes such as bio-diesel production as well as in various edible applications.

Methods are provided for refining natural oil feedstocks. The methods comprise reacting the feedstock in the presence of a metathesis catalyst under conditions sufficient to form a metathesized product comprising olefins and esters. In certain embodiments, the methods further comprise separating the olefins from the esters in the metathesized product. In certain embodiments, the methods further comprise hydrogenating the olefins under conditions sufficient to form a fuel composition. In certain embodiments, the methods further comprise transesterifying the esters in the presence of an alcohol to form a transesterified product.

Methods are provided for refining natural oil feedstocks. The methods comprise reacting the feedstock in the presence of a metathesis catalyst under conditions sufficient to form a metathesized product comprising olefins and esters. In certain embodiments, the methods further comprise separating the olefins from the esters in the metathesized product. In certain embodiments, the methods further comprise hydrogenating the olefins under conditions sufficient to form a fuel composition. In certain embodiments, the methods further comprise transesterifying the esters in the presence of an alcohol to form a transesterified product.

Reduced color epoxidized fatty acid esters are provided which may be used as primary plasticizers for PVC, in replacement of phthalate plasticizers. The reduced color epoxidized fatty acid esters are prepared from natural fats or oils by transesterification and interesterification processes, whereby through the use of borohydride, materials having PtCo colors according to ASTM D1209 on the order of 50 and lower are possible.

Reduced color epoxidized fatty acid esters are provided which may be used as primary plasticizers for PVC, in replacement of phthalate plasticizers. The reduced color epoxidized fatty acid esters are prepared from natural fats or oils by transesterification and interesterification processes, whereby through the use of borohydride, materials having PtCo colors according to ASTM D1209 on the order of 50 and lower are possible.

The present invention provides a chromatographic separation process for recovering a polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) product from a feed mixture, which comprises: (a) purifying the feed mixture in a first chromatographic separation step using an eluent a mixture of water and a first organic solvent, to obtain an intermediate product; and (b) purifying the intermediate product in a second chromatographic separation step using as eluent a mixture of water and a second organic solvent, to obtain the PUFA product, wherein the second organic solvent is different from the first organic solvent and has a polarity index which differs from the polarity index of the first organic solvent by between 0.1 and 2.0, wherein the PUFA product is other than alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), linoleic acid, an ALA mono- di- or triglyceride, a GLA mono- di- or triglyceride, a linoleic acid mono- di- or triglyceride, an ALA C.sub.1-C.sub.4 alkyl ester, a GLA C.sub.1-C.sub.4 alkyl ester or a linoleic acid C.sub.1-C.sub.4 alkyl ester or a mixture thereof.

The present invention provides a chromatographic separation process for recovering a polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) product from a feed mixture, which comprises: (a) purifying the feed mixture in a first chromatographic separation step using an eluent a mixture of water and a first organic solvent, to obtain an intermediate product; and (b) purifying the intermediate product in a second chromatographic separation step using as eluent a mixture of water and a second organic solvent, to obtain the PUFA product, wherein the second organic solvent is different from the first organic solvent and has a polarity index which differs from the polarity index of the first organic solvent by between 0.1 and 2.0, wherein the PUFA product is other than alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), linoleic acid, an ALA mono- di- or triglyceride, a GLA mono- di- or triglyceride, a linoleic acid mono- di- or triglyceride, an ALA C.sub.1-C.sub.4 alkyl ester, a GLA C.sub.1-C.sub.4 alkyl ester or a linoleic acid C.sub.1-C.sub.4 alkyl ester or a mixture thereof.