EN
Structured triacylglycerols (sTAG) are chemical compounds with a precisely defined chemical and stereochemical structure whose natural nutritional and physico-chemical properties have been modified. Modified TAG can be synthesized with the application of genetic engineering, physical, chemical and enzymatic methods. Due to the demand for the precisely determined structure of the resulting sTAG, their synthesis with the use of lipases is preferred. Prepared pure fatty acids or their esters, as well as synthetic monoacid triacylglycerols are necessary for sTAG synthesis. The use of such unnatural substrates requires additional processes and is cost consuming. Additionally, it can lead to loss of valuable components present in natural oils and contribute to a decrease in the oxidative stability of the resulting products. The application of naturally occurring fats or oils can considerably simplify sTAG synthesis and reduce the costs of the processes. Recently, much attention has been paid to an assessment of nutritional properties of structured triacylglycerols or acylglycerols. The aim of this article is to present the methods of sTAG synthesis, including examples of the use of naturally occurring triacylglycerols as substrates.