Process for recovery of plant sterols from by-product of vegetable oil refining

A process for recovery of plant sterols and tocopherols from deodorization distillates formed during chemical or physical refining of vegetable oils, by distillation or saponification of the components present, characterised in that

• i) free fatty acids are removed from the deodorization distillate by vacuum distillation or by continuous solvent saponification,
• ii) after the removal of free fatty acids, the received material consisting of sterols, tocopherols, hydrocarbons, mono-, di- and triglycerides as main components is reacted with an aromatic carboxylic acid anhydride having at least 7 carbon atoms at a temperature of 50-150° C., under reduced pressure during 0.5-2 hours,
• iii) after the treatment with anhydride, tocopherols are removed from the mixture applying short-path distillation,
• iv) crystalline free sterols are recovered from the distillation residue containing sterol esters, di- and triglycerides by transesterification.