This invention generally relates to the production of free fatty acids and/or derivatives thereof, e.g. fatty acid alkyl esters, from soapstock comprising soaps (salts of fatty acids). In alternative embodiments, the invention provides methods and industrial processes for generating free fatty acids and/or fatty acid derivatives from a soapstock comprising soaps by combining the feedstock with one or more reactants to form a reaction mixture and reacting the mixture at a temperature and pressure sufficient to provide for the acidification of the soaps.