Method of production of fatty acid alkyl esters and/or glycerine and fatty acid alkyl ester-containing composition

Abstract

The method of producing fatty acid alkyl esters and/or glycerine of the present invention is a method of producing high-purity fatty acid alkyl esters and/or glycerine advantageously from the energy viewpoint while reducing the energy consumption of the production, and the products can be used in various fields of application, for example in biodiesel fuels, foods, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. The above-mentioned method of producing fatty acid alkyl esters and/or glycerine by reacting a fat or oil with an alcohol using an insoluble solid catalyst in a reaction apparatus comprising at least one reactor, comprises (a) a step of obtaining low-boiling components removed liquid by removing low-boiling components or fraction from an effluent liquid of a reactor and (b) a step of separating the fatty acid alkyl esters and glycerine from the low-boiling components removed liquid, wherein an eluted active metal component of the insoluble solid catalyst in the effluent liquid of a reactor amounts to a level not higher than 1,000 ppm.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.