PURPOSE: To enable the use of a hydrolase for a long period and to produce a fatty acid in high purity, yield and productivity from a fatty acid lower alcohol ester used as a starting substance by using a specific process to use a hydrolase.
CONSTITUTION: A fatty acid lower alcohol ester (e.g. methyl octanoate) and water are made to react with each other in the presence of a hydrolase (preferably lipase originated from the genus Rhizopus, esterase originated from the genus Pseudomonas, etc.) preferably at pH5-7 and 30-70°C while distilling the mixture to distill out a mixture of water/fatty acid lower alcohol ester/lower alcohol. The distillate is separated into an oil layer and a water layer, the oil layer containing the unreacted fatty acid lower alcohol ester is returned to the reaction system and the water layer is extracted from the reaction system or water obtained by removing the lower alcohol from the water layer is returned to the reaction system. The above procedures are repeated to obtain a fatty acid.
KONISHI NORIKO
SAKATA MASARU
