André Luis Willerding
This work presents the potential areas which the use of enzymes can expand markets for forest products such as oils from plants of the Amazon. This will add value in this raw material served as inputs for the cosmetic, food and pharmaceutical industries. Enzymes can increase the processing power and catalysis of lipids through a green chemistry and these conversions can be incorporated into industrial systems. The enzymatic modification of oils containing a high percentage of unsaturated fatty acids is an alternative biotech process with excellent commercial prospects, since by traditional chemistry can generate oxidation products and polymers undesirable. Another application is the enrichment of vegetable oils with polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA - poly-unsaturated fatty acids) for the production of nutraceuticals foods. In another application line, biodiesel production can also occur by enzyme process, allowing the formation of biofuel. Among the oils studied Amazon, Brazil nuts, buriti, tucumã, passion fruit are considered as important as sources of fatty acids (Fig. 1). Together, the hydrolysis and transesterification enzymatic reactions are gaining ground as an alternative to physical and chemical processes (Fig. 2).
इस लेख का हिस्सा