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Lipid Biotechnology and Engineering Laboratory

In the Lipid Biotechnology and Engineering Laboratory, we carry out research and education in lipid science and technology as well as in lipid-related processing technology.

Instruments

Instruments for lipids analysis and quality control

  • Lipid composition analysis:
    Agilent GC; Thermo Fisher DSQ GC-MS; IATROSCAN TLC-FID; Hitachi-Merck HPLC-ELSD; Thermo Fischer HPLC-PDA-ELSD; Shimadzu uv-vis spectrophotometer; Shimadzu RF-5301 Spectrofluorophotometer;
  • Property and quality:
    Bomem FT-IR/NIR spectrometer; Mettler Toledo Differential scanning calorimetry; Bruker Minispec mq 20 NMR analyzer; Lovibond tintometer; DP70 Dropping Point System

Pilot plant for lipids processing

  • Enzymatic Reaction system:
    Small and large batch reactors; membrane reactors; Packed bed reactors
  • Lipids  process and separation system:
    Glass-deodorizer; Oil bleaching setup; Alzenau-Hoerstein Short Path Distillation UIC KD-4, KD-5 and KD-6 system;

Pilot plant for fermentation and downstream process

  • 2 sets of computer-control Fermenters; Cross-flow membrane filter; Ultrasonicators; Pasteurization equipment etc.

Functions

  • Serving research, specifically in lipids related areas. Open to all staff in Aarhus University;
  • Serving education, available for the courses and projects for the  students at Bachelor, Master and Ph.D. level;
  • Training and service for company, the lab either can rent some the facility for outside company use, or provide professional commercial service;
  • Collaboration, open for internal and external for collaborative work or projects.   
  • The facility consists of
    • Instruments for lipids analysis and quality control
    • Pilot plant for lipids processing
    • Pilot plant for fermentation and downstream process

Research carried out in the facility

  • Extraction and identification of natural lipids
  • Classic refinery and lipids process
  • Production of tailor-made lipids
  • Biocatalysis and biotransformation
  • Lipids oxidation and antioxidation
  • Lipidic bioproducts and biochemicals

Use

  • The facility is used for research
  • The facility is used for teaching
  • The facility is used for collaborative work with the industry
  • The facility is used commercially
  • Information if external people/companies can use/rent the facility.

Analysis equipment that external people/companies can use include:

  • For lipid analysis: GC, GC-MS, HPLC-ELSD, Spectrofluorophotometer, Lovibond tintometer
  • For lipid characterization: FT-IR/NIR, DSC, NMR

Process facility for rent:
For lipid refinery and separation: Glass-deodorizer; Oil bleaching setup; Pilot scale short path distillation KD-5 and KD-6.
Pilot plant for fermentation for rent: computer-control Fermenters; Cross-flow membrane filter; Ultrasonicators; Pasteurization equipment.

Special expertise

In relation to the facility, we have gained high-level experience in

  • Composition analysis and identification of components of natural lipids class and analogues
  • Classic refinery of plant oils and quality control
  • Enzymatic process of marine oils and dairy lipids
  • Enzymatic modification of natural oils and fats for tailor-made lipids
  • Enzymatic production of mono- and di-glycerides
  • New media (ionic liquids) application in lipids process
  • Lipids oxidation and quality control
  • Modification  of natural antioxidants and application in oil antioxidation
  • Microbial production of biosurfactants and downstream process

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