Optimization of lipolysis variables of tengkawang seed fat (illipe butter) using frangipani resin derived lipase

This study aimed to determine the optimum conditions for the lipolysis of tengkawang fat using lipase derived from frangipani resin to produce free fatty acids, which, particularly stearic acid, serve as key intermediates in various industrial applications. A 2^(4–1) fractional factorial design was used to screen the effects of pH, temperature, enzyme concentration, and buffer-to-fat ratio on the degree of lipolysis. The 5-h reaction yielded a reaction mass of 43.35% of free fatty acids. ANOVA results revealed that pH, enzyme concentration, and their interaction were significant, with curvature present at the centre point. Optimization was then conducted using response surface methodology (RSM) with a face-centred central composite design (FCCCD). The highest degree of lipolysis achieved was 89.54% under the conditions of pH 7, temperature 27°C, enzyme concentration 10%, and a buffer-to-fat ratio of 2:1. Time profile observations showed that the lipolysis reaction proceeded slowly, reaching 89.53% at the end of 24 h.