METHOD FOR PURIFYING FATTY ACID

PURPOSE:To efficiently separate and purify a high-purity specific fatty acid (stearic acid or palmitic acid) from a fatty acid mixture (e.g. a mixture of the stearic acid with the palmitic acid) forming an intermolecular compound under pressurized conditions. CONSTITUTION:This method is to isolate and purify a specific fatty acid from a mixture of fatty acids forming an intermolecular compound. In the method, the mixture of the fatty acids is pressurized to a pressure region below a pressure in which the intermolecular compound is produced to form a crystal of the specific fatty acid. The pressure is then reduced to make a part of the crystal remain as a seed crystal and melt the remainder. The seed crystal is subsequently grown under pressurization and separated from the mother liquor.