Enzymic Modification of Melon Seed Oil: Incorporation of Eicosapentaenoic Acid

Abstract

Two immobilized lipases, IM60 from Mucor miehei and SP435 from Candida antárctica, were used as biocatalysts for the modification of the fatty acid composition of crude melon seed (Citrullus colocynthis L) oil by incorporating n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA). Higher eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) incorporation was obtained by using EPA ethyl ester (97% pure) than by using EPA free acid (45% pure) for both enzyme-catalyzed reactions. IM60 required additional water to optimize the reaction condition, but any added water inhibited the catalytic activity of SP435. Increasing the molar ratio of acid or ester to triacylglycerol (TAG) significantly increased EPA incorporation, especially when EPA ethyl ester was used. The n-6 fatty acid content of melon seed oil was significantly lowered by using a high molar ratio of EPA ethyl ester to TAG. Incorporation of EPA into melon seed oil by immobilized lipase can increase the n-3 PUFA content, can help control the level of n-6 fatty acid, and may improve the nutritional quality of melon seed oil.

Proximate Composition, Mineral and Vitamin Content of Some Wild Plants Used as Spices in Cameroon

“…Since vegetable oils are usually associated with high contents of unsaturated fatty acids [27], the likelihood of the oils in the spices analysed being of good nutritional and even commercial value are high but this needs to be verified using appropriate analytical methods.…”

Fatty acid composition of melon (Colocynthis vulgaris Shrad) seed oil and its application in synthesis and evaluation of alkyd resins

“…Melon seed oil contains a large amount of linoleic acid (C18:2) [3]. Melon seed contains a lot of oil, which can be extracted and used for industrial purposes.…”

“…Melon seed contains a lot of oil, which can be extracted and used for industrial purposes. [3] reported the use of melon seeds for oil production, frying and cooking in some African and Middle East countries. The physicochemical characteristics of melon seed (Citrullus colocynthis L.) oil determined by [4] are given below specific gravity at 20 0 C (0.914), colour (amber colour), refractive index at 20 0 C (1.4733), acid value (1.00mgKOH/g), saponification value (188mgKOH/g), iodine value (119gI 2 /100g), free fatty acid (as % oleic acid) (0.52), unsaponifiable matter (1.02%), ester number (187).…”

Lipase‐assisted acidolysis of high‐laurate canola oil with eicosapentaenoic acid

“…It could be useful to use this oil as a model oil when incorporating long-chain EFA into MCT. Recently, the incorporation of n-3 PUFA, especially EPA and DHA, into melon seed oil (13), vegetable oils (14), borage oil (15)(16)(17)(18), evening primrose oil (18,19), and trilinolein (20) has been reported. Synthesis of SL containing MCFA in the sn-1,3 positions and an unsaturated LCFA in the sn-2 position of the glycerol backbone using 1,3-regiospecific lipases was recently reported by Soumanou et al (21).…”