The potential use of lipases in the production of fatty acid derivatives for the food and nutraceutical industries

The potential of lipases (E.C.3.1.1.3.) as biocatalysts for the production of fatty acid derivatives for the food and nutraceutical industries, such as flavoring esters, fatty acid esters of antioxidants and structured lipids, is enormous, mainly due to their high regio- and stereo-selectivities, in addition to the other well-known advantages of enzymatic processes. The replacement of chemical catalysts by lipases presents great benefits in terms of the nutritional properties of the obtained products and environmental care. The reactions performed for the production of these compounds, as well as the best operation conditions, the biocatalysts used, reactor types and operation mode, are addressed in this review.This study was supported by the (i) Program CYTED, ENZNUT network, (ii) Spanish project CTQ2010-15131 and Catalan projects 2009-SGR-281 and XRB, (iii) the Integrated Action Portugal-Spain E-29/11, (iv) the Strategic Project PEst-OE/AGR/UI0245/2011 of CEER, a research unit supported by the national funding of FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal, (v) Spanish Ministry of Education for the post-doctoral fellowship SB2010-0004 (vi) Mexican project CONACYT CB 2208-01-104429.Peer reviewe