Process for the production of phospholipids

Abstract

A method for producing phospholipid using transphosphatidylation, which comprises the steps of homogenizing a mixture of a raw material phospholipid, a hydroxyl-containing acceptor, phospholipase D, and water in the absence of an organic solvent to obtain a homogenized mixture; and subjectng said homogenized mixture to the transphosphatidylation reaction at 15° C. to 65° C. The homogenized mixture has a lamellar lyotropic liquid crystal structure. An objective phospholipid can be obtained from the homogenized mixture through transphosphatidylation without using an organic solvent or calcium.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A method for producing phospholipid by transphosphatidylation, comprising the steps of: 
 homogenizing a mixture of a raw material phospholipid, a hydroxyl-containing acceptor, phospholipase D, and water in the absence of an organic solvent to obtain a homogenized mixture; and    subjecting said homogenized mixture to a transphosphatidylation reaction at a temperature within a range from 15° C. to 65° C.    
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said homogenized mixture substantially has a lamellar lyotropic liquid crystal structure.  
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the content of water in said homogenized mixture is adjusted within a range from 10 wt % to 100 wt % relative to the weight of the raw material phospholipid.  
     
     
         4 . The method according to any one of  claims 1  to  3 , wherein the content of said hydroxyl-containing acceptor is adjusted within a range from 0.3 mole to 10 moles per 1 mole of the raw material phospholipid in said homogenization.  
     
     
         5 . The method according to any one of  claims 1  to  4 , wherein said hydroxyl-containing acceptor is at least one selected from the group consisting of serine, glycerol, L-ascorbic acid, glucose, and choline.  
     
     
         6 . The method according to any one of  claims 1  to  5 , wherein serine is used as said hydroxyl-containing acceptor to yield a phosphatidylserine.  
     
     
         7 . The method according to any one of  claims 1  to  6 , wherein an edible oil and/or fat is added during said homogenization.  
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 5  or  6 , further comprising the steps of: 
 dissolving the resulting phospholipid containing phosphatidylserine in an alcohol to obtain a solution; and  
 insolubilization by adding a metallic salt to said solution to insolubilize phosphatidylserine and separating the insolubilized matter.  
 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein said metalic salt is at least one selected from the group consisting of lithium salts, potassium salts, and sodium salts.  
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 8  or  9 , wherein said metalic salt is lithium chloride, potassium chloride, or sodium chloride.  
     
     
         11 . The method according to any one of  claims 8  to  10 , wherein ethyl alcohol is used as the alcohol.