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An enzymatic degumming trial of soybean oil was carried out at a capacity of 400 tons/day by applying microbial phospholipase A1 from Thermomyces lanuginosus/Fusarium oxysporum. When the pH was kept in the range of 4.8–5.1, less than 10 mg/kg of phosphorous content of The oil was obtained. The gum and oil were easily separated after centrifugation and the oil loss was minimal under the process conditions. Through analysis of phospholipids compounds in the gum by Electrospray Ionization-Mass Spectrometer and phosphorous content, it could be seen that both glycerophospholipids and lysophospholipids existed with contents of 45.7 and 54.3%, respectively. The performance of enzymatic degumming was found to be related to the production of glycerophospholipids.

An enzymatic process optimization and a largescale plant trial for rapeseed oil degumming were carried out by a novel microbial lipase. Response surface methodology was used to obtain the desired data in the process optimization. Enzyme dosage, temperature, and pH were important determining factors affecting oil degumming. The optimal set of variables was an enzyme dosage of 39.6 mg/kg, a temperature of 48.3°C, and a pH of 4.9. The phosphorus content could be reduced to 3.1 mg/kg at the optimal levels of the tested factors. An enzymatic degumming plant trial was performed on a 400 tons/d oil production line. pH was found to play an important role in degumming performance. When the pH was 4.6–5.1, the corresponding phosphorus content of degummed rapeseed oil could be reduced to less than 10 mg/kg, which met the demands of the physical refining process.