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Abstract
Stearidonic acid (SDA, 18:4 -3) is a polyunsaturated fatty acid that is a metabolic intermediate in the conversion of -linolenic acid (ALA, 18:3 -3) to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5 -3). The objective of this research was to explore methods to obtain SDA enriched triacylglycerols (TAGs) and/or their derivatives, from modified soybean oil (MSO) containing ~25% SDA. Argentation silica gel column chromatography led to the isolation of SDA ethyl esters of 97% purity and 71% yield, in a scaled-up process. Enzymatic transesterification (acidolysis) was used to produce a SL with 53.46 1.85% SDA (36.37 3.14% at the sn-2 position). Lipase-catalyzed concentration of SDA by partial hydrolysis of MSO resulted in unhydrolyzed TAG, 1,3-diacylglycerols, 2,3(1)-diacylglycerols, and monoacylglycerols with 58.66 (65.71 at the sn-2 position), 71.22, 70.22 (52.90 at the sn-2 position), and 59.43% SDA, respectively. All the SDA enriched products could have potential use as nutraceutical compounds.