Technology · Biochemistry & industrial biotech / Specialty & fine chemicals
Biosurfactants
Microbial surface-active glycolipids (rhamnolipids, sophorolipids, MELs) produced by aerobic fermentation of plant oils and sugars — biodegradable, low-toxicity replacements for petrochemical surfactants in detergents, personal care, agchem and enhanced oil recovery.
1 · What it gives
Biosurfactants are surface-active molecules of microbial origin, produced by bacteria, yeasts and fungi fermenting renewable plant substrates (sugars, vegetable oils, lipid waste). Their amphiphilic structure — a hydrophilic head and a hydrophobic tail — lets them cut surface and interfacial tension sharply. Against petrochemical surfactants such as linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS), microbial surfactants offer near-zero toxicity, full biodegradability (soil and water breakdown in 2–3 weeks), high thermal and salt tolerance, and very low critical micelle concentrations (CMC 20–50 mg/L). By 2026 the sector crossed from niche cosmetic additives to multi-thousand-tonne industrial output, displacing petrochemical equivalents in home care, personal care, agchem adjuvants and enhanced oil recovery (EOR).
The key classes of commercial biosurfactants are:
- Rhamnolipids: Glycolipids of one or two L-rhamnose units bound to beta-hydroxydecanoic fatty acids; historically from pathogenic Pseudomonas aeruginosa, now produced industrially on engineered non-pathogenic Pseudomonas putida — strong foaming and detergency.
- Sophorolipids: Glycolipids of sophorose linked to a hydroxylated fatty acid, secreted by the yeast Starmerella bombicola; supplied in lactone (high surface activity, antimicrobial) and acid (high foam, soluble) forms.
- Mannosylerythritol lipids (MELs): Glycolipids from basidiomycete yeasts of genus Pseudozyma, with unique liquid-crystal behaviour used in premium cosmetics to repair skin and hair lipid barriers.
- Lipopeptides (e.g. surfactin): A cyclic peptide ring on a fatty-acid chain from Bacillus subtilis — among the most powerful surfactants known, dropping water surface tension from 72 mN/m to 27 mN/m at extremely low CMC.
Sectoral value chain#
[Plant feedstock (oils, glucose)] ──> [Aerobic precision fermentation] ──> [Continuous gravity separation]
│ │ │
(Sugar beet, rapeseed) (Producer strains, fed-batch) (In-situ foam removal)
│
[End products (Home care, EOR)] <── [Membrane ultrafiltration & drying] <───────────────────┘
Value chain levels#
| Level | Description | Key inputs/outputs |
|---|---|---|
| Feedstock | Preparing carbon substrates: vegetable oils (rapeseed, sunflower, coconut), sugar-stream waste (molasses, glucose) or lignocellulose hydrolysates. | In: Crude rapeseed oil, beet molasses, purified water. Out: Standardized fermentation medium. |
| Upstream (biodesign) | Selecting and metabolically engineering producer strains (Starmerella bombicola, Pseudomonas putida) for higher titre and lower broth viscosity. | In: Genetic builds, plasmids, super-producers. Out: High-productivity industrial inoculum. |
| Fermentation (synthesis) | Aerobic biosurfactant synthesis in bioreactors with tight control of aeration, foam, pH and oil fed-batch feed. | In: Inoculum, medium, sterile air, antifoam. Out: Broth with high glycolipid titre (above 100 g/L). |
| DSP (isolation/purification) | Centrifugation to remove cells, gravity settling of crude lipids, membrane ultrafiltration or solvent extraction. | In: Culture broth, precipitation acids. Out: Purified biosurfactant concentrate (60–90% active). |
| Formulation (blending) | Stabilizing biosurfactants in aqueous or powder product forms, tuning synergistic co-surfactant blends for end formulations. | In: Glycolipid concentrate, buffers, preservatives. Out: Stable industrial intermediate. |
| Market delivery | Integration into consumer goods (detergents, shower gels), agchem adjuvants or oilfield solutions. | In: Merchant biosurfactant, brand specs. Out: Commercial eco-labelled/USDA products. |
Cross-cutting technologies of the sector:
- Rhamnolipid pathway engineering: Transferring the rhlA/rhlB/rhlC rhamnosyltransferase genes from Pseudomonas aeruginosa into the safe host Pseudomonas putida KT2440 to make mono- and di-rhamnolipids without pyocyanin or other virulence factors.
- In-situ product recovery (ISPR): Continuous gravity separation that drains the heavy glycolipid phase from the reactor base while skimming foam, preventing product inhibition and letting the run continue for weeks.
- HLB engineering: Chemical or enzymatic cleavage of ester bonds in acid sophorolipids to hit a target hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (from HLB 4 for water-in-oil emulsions up to 15 for detergents).
2 · What it replaces 6 · matched by industry
| D1E– | Biosurfactant and APG cleansing — sophorolipids, rhamnolipids, alkyl polyglucosides — instead of petrochemical SLES/SLS Replaces: Petrochemical anionic surfactants (SLES/SLS) and their ethoxylated feedstock chain (1,4-dioxane contamination risk at trace levels, … | COSM |
| D1E– | Biosurfactants (rhamnolipids, sophorolipids) instead of petrochemical surfactants in cleaning and industrial formulation Replaces: Petrochemical surfactants in cleaners and formulations - linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS), alcohol ethoxylates (AEO), alkylphenol … | CHEM |
| D2E2 | Biodegradable, bio-based lubricants and hydraulic fluids (vegetable-oil and synthetic esters) — instead of mineral-oil lubricants in forestry, agriculture, marine, rail and water-adjacent machinery Replaces: Mineral-oil hydraulic fluids, chainsaw bar oils, gear and stern-tube oils, greases (and total-loss lubricants lost directly to the … | CHEM |
| D3E2 | Biodegradable scrub particles and exfoliants instead of polyethylene microbeads Replaces: Polyethylene (and PP/PET/PMMA) microbeads in rinse-off cosmetics: face/body scrubs, toothpastes, shower gels; glitter (polyester/alu … | COSM |
| D2E2 | Detergent enzymes for low-temperature washing instead of phosphates, extra surfactant and hot washing Replaces: Phosphate builders (STPP), part of the fossil-based surfactant load, and high wash temperatures (60–90 °C) needed to remove protein, starch … | CHEM |
| D1E– | Bio-based and safer solvents — Cyrene (dihydrolevoglucosenone from cellulose), 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (2-MeTHF from furfural/levulinic acid), ethyl lactate, bio-ethanol, γ-valerolactone, limonene — instead of NMP, DMF, DMAc, dichloromethane and other hazardous solvents Replaces: N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), dimethylacetamide (DMAc), dichloromethane (DCM), chloroform, toluene/xylene in … | CHEM |
3 · How to implement 6 steps
- 1Substrate and feedstock preparationFeedstock & raw materialsFormulation & blendingAn aqueous medium is built with 100 g/L glucose as the hydrophilic carbon source, 5 g/L yeast extract and mineral salts (ammonium nitrogen, phosphates, magnesium); high-purity rapeseed or sunflower oil is the hydrophobic carbon source. The medium is sterilized in a continuous high-temperature-short-time (HTST) sterilizer at 135°C for 30 seconds and fed to the fermenter.Who can do this step matched automatically✓ GMP ✓ ISO 9001 500 m3“This is a satellite blending, mixing and formulation facility, located at Vashind near Shahapur and dedicated to the company’s Animal Nutrition business.”Rossari Biotech (NSE) India✓ ISO 9001 industrial scale“The company also announced a new greenfield blending facility in Thailand to boost Southeast Asia operations and smarter capacity utilization across its HPPC, TSC, and AHN …”India Glycols (NSE) India✓ GMP ✓ ISO 9001 7,500 MT/ industrial scale“India Glycols Limited holds the distinction of being the only green petrochemical company of its kind and is the first and only in the world to have commercialized the production …”
- 2Aerobic fermentationFermentation & cultivationThe 100 m³ AISI 316L stainless reactor is seeded at 10% volume with Starmerella bombicola from the seed reactor. The first 48 hours build biomass under heavy aeration (1.0 vvm, pH 5.0 by NaOH dosing). On day 3, once nitrogen is exhausted, cells enter the idiophase and rapeseed oil is fed fed-batch at 2–4 g/(L·h) to hold free fatty acids at 10–15 g/L; pH is dropped to 3.5 to suppress bacterial contamination and stimulate glycolipid synthesis.Who can do this step matched automatically✓ GMP ✓ ISO 9001 500 m3“Technology: microbial fermentation with ~500 m3 fermentation capacity; 15+ patents; developed/upscaled probiotic production technologies.”Spiber Japan✓ ISO 9001 industrial scale“By harnessing the power of precision fermentation, Spiber engineers proteins at the molecular level, resulting in versatile materials that can be tailored to specific needs.”Ajinomoto Japan✓ GMP industrial scale“It specializes in amino acid fermentation technology, applying it to seasonings, processed foods, frozen foods, and healthcare solutions.”“Aum Enzymes is a metabolic engineering firm specializing in generally regarded safe microbial origin Industrial, Food, Feed, Neutraceutical, cosmetic, plant origin [botonical] …”
- 3Bottom gravity draw-off of sophorolipids (ISPR)As sophorolipids lactonize they become poorly soluble in acidic water and settle as a heavy, viscous dark-brown lipid phase on the reactor floor. A gear pump continuously draws the bottom layer through the conical head into a gravity decanter; the light phase (aqueous medium with yeast cells and residual emulsified oil) returns to the fermenter top. Glycolipid concentration in the drawn heavy phase reaches 600 g/L.
- 4Ceramic membrane ultrafiltration (emulsion break)Purification & downstreamThe crude sophorolipid concentrate is heated to 60°C to cut viscosity and passed through a tangential ceramic membrane skid (50 nm pores). Residual yeast cells, protein macromolecules and insoluble impurities are fully retained; the permeate is a clear amber sophorolipid solution.Who can do this step matched automatically✓ GMP ✓ ISO 9001 500 m3“Development of robust, scalable fermentation and downstream processing (production and recovery/yield optimization).”
- 5Vacuum evaporation and composition tuningPurification & downstreamThe solution enters a falling-film vacuum evaporator. At 70°C and 150 mbar, excess water is stripped to hold dry substance (active biosurfactant) at a stable 65–70%. Where acid-form sophorolipids are required, a mild alkaline hydrolysis of the lactone bond is run by dosing concentrated NaOH to pH 9.0, then neutralizing with citric acid to pH 6.0–7.0.Who can do this step matched automatically✓ GMP ✓ ISO 9001 500 m3“Development of robust, scalable fermentation and downstream processing (production and recovery/yield optimization).”
- 6Packing, QC and standardizationTesting & analyticsThe finished product is standardized to active content and tested for surface tension (Du Nouy ring, target below 30 mN/m), CMC (20–50 mg/L), Gardner colour and viscosity, then packed in 1000 L sealed plastic IBCs or 200 L drums. It is labelled per REACH and shipped to eco-friendly home-care and cosmetics makers.Who can do this step matched automaticallyBRAIN Biotech Germany✓ ISO 9001 industrial scale“As a contract research organization (CRO), we provide smart, rapid, and effective solutions using cutting-edge technologies to drive customer success.”✓ GMP industrial scale“ProBio: A global CRDMO (contract research, development, and manufacturing organization) providing end-to-end solutions for biologics and cell and gene therapy (CGT).”Bloomage Biotechnology China✓ GMP 320 tons industrial scale“The company positions MitoEGT® as a mitochondria-targeting anti-aging ingredient with multiple efficacy studies, 38 patents, national metrology recognition, and plans to broaden …”
4 · Who delivers
Matched suppliers (matched automatically)
| Holiferm | United Kingdom | Research / RTO | active |
| Evonik | Germany | Producer | active |
In the services and supply catalogue 2 · paid service
Contract manufacturing (CMO/CDMO/toll) · Upstream — fermentation & cell culture
Leading companies and institutes (from the brief)
| Company / Institute | Country | Key products / platforms | Tech features | Status 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evonik | 🇩🇪 Germany | Rewocare M, RHEANCE One (rhamnolipids) | Pseudomonas putida aerobic fermentation, double-digit-kt Slovakia plant | commercial |
| Holiferm | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | HoliSurf (sophorolipids) | Continuous gravity separation, no antifoam | operating |
| BASF | 🇩🇪 Germany | Biosurfactant home-care lines | Fermentation + formulation integration | commercial |
| Locus Fermentation Solutions | 🇺🇸 USA | Amphi (sophorolipids), SUSTAIN (EOR) | Modular bioreactors, EPA TSCA licence, palm-free carbon | commercial |
| Stepan | 🇺🇸 USA | Surfactant portfolio incl. bio-based | Renewable-feedstock alkoxylation and fermentation | commercial |
| TIB CAS | 🇨🇳 China | Wickerhamiella synthetic biology | Metabolic-pathway engineering of glycolipid synthesis | research |
5 · Rules & route to market
Route into Russia / EAEU: COSM · EAEU conformity bodies (Rospotrebnadzor for SGR)
declaration (SGR for some categories)
Information, not legal advice — confirm the procedure for your product. (2026-10-06)
declaration (SGR for some categories)
Information, not legal advice — confirm the procedure for your product. (2026-10-06)
United States
The United States leads biosurfactant deployment into oil-and-gas and holds the only unrestricted commercial-volume regulatory licence for glycolipid production.
Locus Fermentation Solutions, EPA TSCA clearance, agri and oil biochemistry#
- Locus Fermentation Solutions (Ohio): A global leader in sophorolipid precision fermentation, supplying the palm-oil-free, non-GMO Amphi line (USDA BioPreferred certified); the company raised over $40M in 2025 to expand capacity.
- Exclusive EPA TSCA clearance: Locus FS is the only US firm with an EPA Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) licence to manufacture glycolipid biosurfactants in unlimited commercial volume, removing the key barrier to mass adoption by multinational CPG brands.
- Oilfield and agri applications: Subsidiary Locus Bio-Energy supplies the SUSTAIN reagent for hydraulic fracturing and enhanced oil recovery in Texas, lifting oil recovery by 15–20% by dropping oil-rock interfacial tension to ultra-low values; the agri arm markets the Rhizolizer root-growth biostimulant.
European Union
The European Union leads the global race to decarbonize chemistry: it hosts the world’s first large-tonnage rhamnolipid plant and enforces the regulation that pushes petrochemical surfactants out.
Evonik (Slovakia plant), Holiferm (UK), REACH and Ecolabel#
- Evonik Slovakia mega-plant: Evonik opened the world’s first commercial-scale rhamnolipid plant in May 2024 at its Evonik Fermas site in Slovenska Lupca, Slovakia, with double-digit-kilotonne annual capacity; the product (brand Rewocare M) ships to Unilever for its premium Quix dishwashing liquids, fully replacing hydrocarbon surfactants via Pseudomonas putida sugar fermentation.
- Holiferm continuous gravity fermentation (UK): The Manchester University spinout runs a commercial Wallasey plant at 1.65 kta, expanding to 3.5 kta and targeting 15 kta; its patented in-fermentation continuous gravity separation cuts OPEX by roughly 50%, making its biosurfactants price-competitive with petrochemical equivalents.
- EU regulation: REACH restricts ethoxylated surfactants such as alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEOs) as endocrine disruptors, and the EU Ecolabel pushes household-care makers toward 100% biodegradable bio-based ingredients — a structural growth tailwind for European biosurfactants.
China
China is rapidly expanding fermentation capacity for biosurfactants to cut its dependence on imported coconut and palm oils used to make conventional surfactants.
CAS institutes in Tianjin and Shenyang, coal and oilfield integration, agchem boom#
- TIB CAS strain development: The Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology (CAS) runs large programmes building sophorolipid super-producers from the yeast Wickerhamiella domercqiae and rhamnolipid producers from Pseudomonas putida, reaching titres above 120 g/L per cycle.
- Oil-spill response and mine safety: State companies Sinopec and CNPC deploy biosurfactants for bioremediation of oil-contaminated soil; Chinese rhamnolipids are sprayed in coal mines to wet and settle coal dust, cutting explosion and lung-disease risk.
- Agchem adjuvant boom: China is the largest consumer of biosurfactants as herbicide and pesticide adjuvants, where glycolipids cut active-ingredient dose by 30–40% through better spreading and leaf-wax adhesion.
6 · Money: tenders & grants
| Grant | Strengthening plant health: addressing emerging plant pest risks European Commission · EU | Apr 8, 2027 174 days |
Public R&D projects 25
Publicly funded research projects (US NSF, and EU, UK and other funders via OpenAIRE) whose title names this technology — matched by title, not reviewed; amounts as awarded, in the funder's currency. all funded projects →
| 2026 | Smart Bioreactors: Development of a Digital Twin for Real-Time Monitoring and Optimization of Biosurfactant Fermentation FCT · 2025.02674.BDANA | |
| 2026 | Net-zero Photosynthetic Biorefinery for Selective Biosurfactant and Bioemulsifier Valorization EC · 101275570 | 276,188 EUR |
| 2025 | Collaborative Research: Mass Transport Mediated by Microbial Biosurfactants in Unsaturated Porous Media: Multiscale Experimental and … NSF · 2451902 | 289,807 USD |
| 2022 | Collaborative Research: Harnessing synergism between biosurfactants and enzymes to enable efficient valorization of cellulose: towards a … NSF · 2211060 | 300,000 USD |
| 2022 | Lipidomics approaches from Microalgae and Cyanobacteria for Food, Feed and Biosurfactant Industry FCT · 2021.06241.BD | |
| 2018 | CAREER: Scalable Synthesis of Designed Biosurfactants to Enhance Drug Bioavailability NSF · 1822580 | 338,102 USD |
| 2017 | Structural studies of metal-lipopeptide biosurfactant complexes: their biological activity and functional properties FCT · DRI/POLONIA/3795/2017 | 4,000 EUR |
| 2016 | Towards the sustainable microbial production of biosurfactants to utilization in aviation fuel and oil spill remediation FCT · SFRH/BPD/108560/2015 |
7 · Tech stack & innovations
Modern biosurfactant production centres on keeping foaming under control and separating the product without contaminating it.
- In-situ gravity phase separators (Holiferm separation tech):
- Acid-form sophorolipids (density around 1.10–1.12 g/cm³) sink as heavy droplets; patented gravity separators continuously drain this phase from the reactor cone without stopping agitation, returning cell biomass to the broth.
- Cyclone foam breaking (Cyclone Foam Breakers):
- Adding silicone antifoam contaminates the product and cuts surface activity, so modern plants use mechanical cyclones on the off-gas line: foam is spun by centrifugal force, collapses, and the surfactant-rich condensate drains back into the reactor.
- Ceramic ultrafiltration membranes (Ceramic UF Membranes):
- Multi-channel ceramic membranes (50–100 kDa cutoff) strip residual protein and cells from the glycolipid solution; ceramics survive harsh CIP cleaning with hot alkali and acid, keeping a stable flux without pore fouling by lipids.
Sources 6 · 0 independent · 6 producer sites
Producers' own sites 6
- Evonik producer checked 2026-04-23 · link not kept
- Holiferm producer checked 2026-04-01 · link not kept
- Basf producer checked 2026-06-24 · link not kept
- Locus fermentation solutions producer checked 2026-05-21 · link not kept
- Stepan producer checked 2026-04-23 · link not kept
- Tib cas producer checked 2026-07-02 · link not kept