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Title: PRODUCTION OF BIOSURFACTANTS BY FERMENTATION OF FATS, OILS AND THEIR COPRODUCTS

Author
item Solaiman, Daniel
item Ashby, Richard - Rick
item Foglia, Thomas

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/1/2005
Publication Date: 6/1/2005
Citation: Solaiman, D., Ashby, R.D., Foglia, T.A. 2005. Production of biosurfactants by fermentation of fats, oils and their coproducts. In:Hou, C.T., editor. Handbook of Industrial Biocatalysis. Boca Raton, FL:Taylor & Francis. p. 14-1-14-9.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Animal fats and vegetable oils are useful feedstocks for industrial bioprocesses. They have been widely used to improve the fermentation performance of many commercial processes for the manufacture of pharmaceuticals and industrial chemicals. Furthermore, the low-cost coproduct streams from either the manufacture of fats/oils or their subsequent utilization, such as the soy molasses from soybean processing and the crude glycerol fraction from biodiesel production, present new opportunity for the development of cost-effective fermentation processes of potential commercial importance. This paper surveys recent advances in the use of fats, oils and their coproducts (FOC) as substrates for the fermentative production of biosurfactants, specifically sophorolipids and rhamnolipids. The conclusion includes the mention of the use of FOC for the production of poly(hydroxyalkanoates), a class of biodegradable microbial polymers. Continued research and development effort should result in new markets for FOC as they become commercially viable renewable substrates for the fermentative production of biobased products and materials.