Effective Production of Human Milk Fat Substitutes Rich in 1,3-Dioleoyl-2-palmitoyl Glycerol (OPO) viaa New Strategy

1,3-Dioleoyl-2-palmitoyl glycerol (OPO)-supplemented infant formulas mimic the nutritional properties of human milk, and thus are the best nutritional alternatives to breast feeding. Herein, structured triacyl glycerides rich in sn-1,3 oleic acid (OA) and sn-2 palmitic acid (PA) are synthesized via a new strategy by employing Rhizomucor miehei lipase (RML) adsorbed on magnetized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (mMWCNT) and synthesizing OPO-rich fats in a two-step enzymatic acidolysis. The results showed that the immobilized lipase (mMWCNT-COOH-RML) exhibited improved pH and thermal stability, and it could be separated conveniently from the reaction system via an external magnetic field. It also possessed a much better performance in catalysis of tripalmitin (PPP) with OA to synthesize OPO-rich fats in a two-step enzymatic acidolysis. Under optimized conditions, the content of palmitic acid at the sn-2 position and incorporation of OA at the sn-1,3 positions respectively reached 92.93% and 57.82%. mMWCNT-COOH-RML also exhibited better reusability and catalytic activity than the conventionally used commercial Lipozyme RM IM. The results indicate the employed new strategy for synthesis of OPO-rich fats has a prosperous potential in the application of infant formula formulations.