Engzymatic modification of palm oils : Useful products with potential processes.

One of the current technological concerns of the palm oil industry is how to convert the abundant and economical oils into high value-added products and how to expand the multiple usage of palm oil. The 1,3-specific lipase-catalyzed interesterification has been conducted between palm stearin and unsaturated fatty acids and between palm mid frac tion and stearic acid or its ester for the production of human milkfat substitutes (HMFS) and cocoa butter equivalents (CBE), respectively. It is more natural and green to produce margarine fats through the enzymatic modification of cheaper palm stearin with liquid oils and/or the palm kernel oil. The products will be better accepted. There are also more advantages to develop the biode gradable and non-toxic biodiesel by enzymatic methods over the chemical process from palm (kernel) oils. This review provides the brief state-of-the-art of the enzyme processes for the produc tion of HMFS_ CRE, margarine fats_ and blodiesels from palm oils together with reaction principles and enzyme resources.