Edible Oils, Microbial Modification Processes

Abstract

AbstractThe United States produces a huge amount of vegetable oils, principally soybean oil (18 billion pounds of soybean oil with 1 billion pound carry over annually). Finding new uses for the huge surplus of vegetable oil is important to the US agriculture community. However, studies on oil biotechnology and bioprocesses are relatively rare. Microorganisms oxidize fatty acids either at the terminal carbon or inside the acyl chain. Oxygenated (hydroxy‐, epoxy‐) fatty acids such as ricinoleic, vernolic and/or sebacic acids are high value chemicals and can be used to produce polymers and specialty chemicals. Oxygenated fatty acids also have many bioactive properties, such as antimicrobial activity againstSalmonella,Staphylococcus, and plant pathogenic fungi. The specific physiological activity of bioactive fatty acids depends on the position of the hydroxyl groups on the fatty acyl chain. This article reviews the production of hydroxyl and keto fatty acids, and novel oxygenated fatty acids from essential fatty acids such as oleic acid, linoleic acid and other ω‐6 and ω‐3 PUFAs derived from edible plant and fish oils by the microbial bioconversion system. We also review the monooxygenase system ofBacillus megateriumALA2 gene, a self‐sufficient P450BM−3.