A series of tests were conducted on the reesterification of rice bran oil containing high free fatty acids (acid value=119.7) with theoretical equivalent of glycerol. Test results showed that reaction rate (in terms of decrease in acid value) was increased as the reaction temperature was increased regardless of the presence of the catalyst and reaction time (42.7, 21.5 and 10.0 at 170℃, 210℃ and 250℃, respectively) and as the reaction time was increased regardless of the temperature and the presence of the catalyst (31.1 vs 18.3 for 3 hrs vs 6 hrs). The presence of the catalyst (0.2% tin chloride) also accelerated the rate regardless of the reaction temperature and time (36.9 vs 12.5).
Analysis by column chromatography showed that content of triglyceride in the oil was increased to 72.9% and 61.1% from 10.4% and content of free fatty acids in the oil was decreased to 1.4% and 6.1% from 60.2%, when the degummed oil was esterified at 250 ℃ for 6 hrs in the presence of and in the absence of the catalyst, respectively.
The results estimated from the iodine values indicate that polymer formation was not significant, when the oil was esterified for 6 hrs at temperatures up to 210℃. However, it was somewhat significant for the oil esterified at 250℃ for 6 hrs. The catalyst did not affect the polymer formation. Analysis by high performance liquid chromatography showed that oleic acid (42.5%), linoleic acid (29.0%) and palmitic acid (20.3%) were the major fatty acid components of the rice bran oil.
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