Disclosed are processes for separating valuable products, including unsaponifiable materials, from any given matrix of raw materials that is mainly composed of saponifiable components and unsaponifiable components. Preferred methods include converting sodium or potassium soaps obtained from the saponification of a starting material into metallic soaps which have a lower melting point, and when melted, have viscosity sufficiently low to enable processing such as by distillation/evaporation processes. Preferred raw materials include animal or vegetable products, as well as by-products, residues, and waste products from the processing of animal or vegetable products, such as from food processing, cellulose processing and the like. Valuable products which may be obtained by the disclosed processes include sterols, vitamins, flavonoids, and tocopherols.
本发明公开了从主要由可皂化成分和不可皂化成分组成的任何给定原材料基体中分离有价值产品(包括不可皂化材料)的工艺。首选的方法包括将起始原料皂化后得到的
钠皂或
钾皂转化为
金属皂,
金属皂的熔点较低,熔化后的粘度足够低,可以通过蒸馏/蒸发等工艺进行加工。首选原料包括动物或植物产品,以及动物或植物产品加工过程中产生的副产品、残留物和废品,如食品加工、
纤维素加工等。通过所公开的工艺可获得的有价值的产品包括
甾醇、
维生素、类
黄酮和
生育酚。