NOVELTY - Method (M) for producing fatty acids directly from soapstock formed in alkali refining process involves: method (A): adding lipase directly to soapstock to hydrolyze mono-, di- and tri-glycerides without prior neutralization; neutralizing and splitting soaps with strong acids until pH of 1-6 and separating fatty acid phase from aqueous by settling and/or centrifugation, or method (B): neutralizing and splitting soaps with strong acids until pH of 1-6; adding lipase to hydrolyze mono-/di/triglyceride and separating fatty acid phase from aqueous by settling and/or centrifugation.    USE - For production of fatty acids directly from a soapstock generated in the alkali refining process. The natural sterolesters are useful for animal feed, food, health foods and as pharmaceutical agent for lowering cholesterol and/or as precursor for steroid synthesis. The fatty acid esters are useful as solvent, for the production of fatty alcohols, as biofuel, as plasticizer, and for dimerization. The fatty acid esters obtained by method (M1) are useful as biodiesel with an improved oxidation stability, as additive in diesel, and as 100 % fuel for Diesel engines (claimed). The biodiesel is a biodiesel according to EU legislation for Biodiesel fuel EN 14214). The fatty acids are useful as raw materials for the production of surfactants, and as raw materials for fabric softener, conjugation, for technical ester production, fatty acid ethoxylate production; and for applying directly as foam inhibitors or boosters. The methyl esters are useful as raw materials for fatty alcohol production, and as raw material for the production of surfactants as e.g. sulfo esters or fabric softeners.    ADVANTAGE - The method produces fatty acids directly from a soapstock generated in the alkali refining process by enzymatic catalysis using lipase and using a waste generated by the vegetable oil refineries during the alkali refining process to produce edible oils, as a feed soapstock; as compared to the chemical and enzymatic treatment methods. The fatty acids produced are further converted to esters and sterolesters using lipase. The method (A) uses an alkaline detergent lipase for glycerides hydrolysis, and allows the addition of lipase without any pretreatment of the alkaline soapstock to enrich the free fatty acids in the soaps before esterification; which reduces the alkali concentration and manages the waste water. The method (B) uses a non regioselective lipase, and results in the hydrolysis of the mono-/di-/triglycerides either by addition of an alkaline lipase directly to the soapstock before neutralization, or after neutralizing and prior to separation. The hydrolysis of soapstock by alkaline lipase can be performed in the presence of high amount of water and presence of other components other than fatty material. The method optimizes the conversion of glycerides. The final yield of fatty acids is improved, compared to fatty acid generation without the use of enzymes, and less waste is generated. By using combinations of lipases and phospholipases, and the process can be easily adapted to different raw materials and quality demands of the product. Further the pattern of the esters obtained from the soybean oil based soapstock is different from the fatty acid profile of soy i.e. esters contain less polyunsaturated fatty acids and hence fit in contrast to esters obtained from soybean oil (such as biodiesel according to EU legislation for Biodiesel fuel EN 14214). Thus, oxidation problems experienced with biodiesel from rapeseed oil that are attributed mainly to linolenic acid content (10%) in rapeseed oil, and soybean oil are avoided. The linolenic acid content in the soapstock obtained by the method is significantly lower (3-4 %), which results in a biodiesel fuel with an enhanced oxidation stability. The process for obtaining sterolesters and/or fatty acid esters consists of a selective esterification of the fatty acids with lipase while leaving the sterolesters unchanged. This corresponds to separation of 70-95% of the fatty acid residue by distillation and enrichment of sterolesters in the bottom fraction, and generates concentrated sterolesters as high valued product. The production of natural sterolesters and/or fatty acid esters using lipase is carried out at low temperatures and simplifies the process and equipments. This gives this process high flexibility allowing the use of existent plants with minor changes, and for new plants capital investment is considerable lower. The esterification process due to the process simplicity allows the use of small ester production plants near to the oil refineries saving a lot of handling and transportation cost. As compared to the chemical processes that leads to the formation of free sterols, and require reesterification for use in food products; the process results in natural sterolesters, which can be supplemented to food products directly after purification.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is included for method (M1) for obtaining sterolesters and/or fatty acid esters involving: (a2) esterifying the fatty acids obtained from the method (A) or (B) with 1-6C alkanol with a lipase that is selective for fatty acids and does not transesterify the sterolesters; (b2) separating the fatty acid esters from the sterolesters by distillation.