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Abstract

A vegetable oil fraction rich in non-tocolic, high-melting, unsaponifiable matter is prepared by the following steps: A vegetable oil having a slip melting point of not more thatn 30.degree. C. and a content of unsaponifiable matter of at least 0.5% by weight is hydrogenated to fully saturate the fatty acids of the glycerides and to reach a slip melting point of at least 57.degree. C. To the hydrogenated oil is added from 1 to 75% by weight of the unhydrogenated starting oil or another oil having a slip melting point of not more than 30.degree. C. in order to act as a carrier and vehicle for the unsaponifiable matter. Then, a solvent is added to the oil mixture in a ratio between oil and solvent from 1:2 to 1:20, and the mixture is heated to transparency. The oil/-solvent-mixture is cooled in one or more steps to a final temperature in the range from -35 to +30.degree. C., and the precipitated high-melting fraction(s) is (are) filtered off. The filtrate is desolventised, leaving a fraction rich in unsaponifiable matter. By this process very high concentrations of in particular the non-tocolic, higher melting unsaponifiables can be achieved, and the composition of the glyceridic part of the enriched fraction can betailored to specific applications. Also, a novel blood cholesterol-lowering effect of the unsaponifiable constituents from shea butter has been found.

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