A method of producing volatilized fatty acids by heating a feedstock
comprising at least one fat or oil in a reactor under inert vacuum to
volatilize fatty acids, and removing volatilized fatty acids from bottoms
residue comprising cross-linked oil. A system for stripping fatty acids
from triglycerides, the system comprising a reactor, heating apparatus
and a vacuum pump capable of pulling a vacuum in the range of from 1 kPa
to 50 kPa on the reactor. A system for producing a hydrogenated product
including a reactor comprising an inlet for a stream comprising
triglycerides, an outlet for volatilized fatty acids, and an outlet for a
cross-linked product, heating apparatus, a vacuum pump capable of pulling
a vacuum in the range of from 1 kPa to 50 kPa on the reactor, and a
hydrogenation reactor, wherein an inlet of the hydrogenation reactor is
fluidly connected to the outlet for cross-linked product.