Optimization of molecular distillation to concentrate ethyl ester of eicosapentaenoic (20:5 w3) and docosahexaenoic acids (22:6 w3) using simplified phenomenological modeling

ROSSI PC; PRAMPARO MC; GAICH MC; GROSSO NR; NEPOTE V

JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

JOHN WILEY & SONS LTD

Año: 2011 vol. 91 p. 1452 - 1458

0022-5142

BACKGROUND: Squid oil contains high concentration of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The purpose of this work was to optimize the process of separation by molecular distillation of omega-3 fatty acids ethyl esters obtained from squid oil. The separation process was conducted in two stages in a laboratory scale molecular distiller. A mathematical model based on the mass transfer phenomena was developed. Nelder-Mead numerical method was used to optimize the model. RESULTS: Omega-3 content in the output material of the stage II increased with the temperature of stage I (T1). The amount of distillated material in stage I increased and the distillated material in the stage II decreased with the increment of T1. That implied a decreasing of the omega-3 recovery in the distillated material in the stage II. In addition, the omega-3 recovery increased with temperature of stage II (T2), but the temperatures should be less than 140°C to avoid chemical changes. The optimization results showed an optimal process at T1 = 120.5 °C and T2 = 140 ºC. CONCLUSION: The theoretical model and the optimization give decision criteria about the operative condition for reaching the highest yield during the molecular distillation of omega-3 fatty acid ethyl esters.