A hydrodynamic cavitation system based on a venturi was used to test the effectiveness of cavitation for enhancing the enzymatic hydrolysis of canola oil using lipase from Candida rugosa Cavitation led to the production of fine oil-in-water and water-in-oil emulsions with the enzyme in the water phase Using venturi inlet pressures of up to 8 bar the yield of fatty acids was only about 60% of the maximum possible In contrast a simple stirred batch reactor produced over 90% of the maximum possible yield with reaction rates equal to or better than those obtained in a cavitating system It was concluded that cavitation inhibited the reaction in some way and is not effective for intensification of hydrolysis (C) 2010 Elsevier B V All rights reserved