Characterization of a novel thermostable phospholipase C from T. kodakarensis suitable for oil degumming

The implementation of cleaner technologies that minimize environmental pollution caused by conventional industrial processes is an increasing global trend. Hence, traditionally used chemicals have been replaced by novel enzymatic alternatives in a wide variety of industrial-scale processes. Enzymatic oil degumming, the first step of the oil refining process, exploits the conversion catalyzed by phospholipases to remove vegetable crude oils' phospholipids. This enzymatic method reduces the gums' volume and increases the overall oil yield. A thermostable phospholipase would be highly advantageous for industrial oil degumming as oil treatment at higher temperatures would save energy and increase the recovery of oil by facilitating the mixing and gums removal. A thermostable phosphatidylcholine (PC) (and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE))-specific phospholipase C from Thermococcus kodakarensis (TkPLC) was studied and completely removed PC and PE from crude soybean oil at 80 degrees C. Due to these characteristics, TkPLC is an interesting promising candidate for industrial-scale enzymatic oil degumming at high temperatures.

Automated summary

The implementation of cleaner technologies that reduce environmental pollution caused by conventional industrial processes is a global trend. Enzymatic alternatives have replaced traditional chemicals in various industrial processes, including oil refining. By using enzymatic oil degumming, the volume of gums is reduced and the overall oil yield is increased. A thermostable phospholipase from Thermococcus kodakarensis has been found to effectively remove phospholipids from crude soybean oil at high temperatures, making it a promising candidate for industrial-scale enzymatic oil degumming.