FIELD: industrial organic synthesis. SUBSTANCE: invention relates to production of fatty acids designed for preparing diverse oils and dryers finding use in leather, rubber footwear, varnish-and-paint industries, etc. Process involves hydrolysis of vegetable oils and fats in presence of catalytic amount of p-toluene sulfonic acid or its sodium salt with equivalent amount of hydrochloric acid (1.0- 5.2 and 0.5% based on the weight of oil and fat, respectively) in bead mill with weight of grinding agent corresponding to 50-100% of the weight of oil or fat batch. Process is carried out at 92-98 C with initial addition of water in amounts equal to 0.5% of the oil or fat weight and subsequent replenishments of water in amounts 0.2% of the initial oil or fat weight made each time when acid number is changed by 6.2 mg KOH/g. Hydrolysable oils, in particular, are sunflower, soybean, coriander, and flaxen oils, and fats are cod-liver and lard. EFFECT: enabled practically 100% hydrolysis of oils and fats under milder conditions. 2 cl, 1 tbl, 14 ex
