Bioemulsifiers Derived from Microorganisms: Applications in the Drug and Food Industry

Abstract

Emulsifiers are a large category of compounds considered as surface active agents or surfactants. An emulsifier acts by reducing the speed of chemical reactions, and enhancing its stability. Bioemulsifiers are known as surface active biomolecule materials, due to their unique features over chemical surfactants, such as non-toxicity, biodegradability, foaming, biocompatibility, efficiency at low concentrations, high selectivity in different pH, temperatures and salinities. Emulsifiers are found in various natural resources and are synthesized by Bacteria, Fungi and Yeast. Bioemulsifier’s molecular weight is higher than that of biosurfactants. Emulsion’s function is closely related to their chemical structure. Therefore, the aim of this paper was to study the various bioemulsifiers derived from microorganisms used in the drug and food industry. In this manuscript, we studied organisms with biosurfactant producing abilities. These inexpensive substrates could be used in environmental remediation and in the petroleum industry.

β-Carotene solid dispersion prepared by hot-melt technology improves its solubility in water

“…1). An emulsifier is expected to have an effect on dispersal in water and oil; they are also difficult to mix with each other in the other solution (Alizadeh-Sani et al 2018). Owing to the effect of PVP, drug stability can be improved by embedding the drug in the PVP matrix (Yen et al 2010).…”

Emulsion Formation and Stabilization by Biomolecules: The Leading Role of Cellulose

“…Driving this change is also the fact that, besides their innate biodegradability, biomolecules also present other advantages in comparison to ones of synthetic origin, such as low toxicity, high selectivity and specific activity at high temperature, pH and salinity [21]. For these reasons, in the past two decades, researchers in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries have been putting great effort towards identifying natural alternatives from plants or microorganisms (bacteria, fungi and yeasts) for emulsion formulations [7,8,22,23]. Among the biomolecules that are currently used as natural emulsifiers or are being investigated for their potential emulsifying properties are phospholipids, biosurfactants, biopolymers and bioparticles [8].…”

Microbial Surfactants: The Next Generation Multifunctional Biomolecules for Applications in the Petroleum Industry and Its Associated Environmental Remediation

“…In the midst of low output, experimental evidence has proven that biosurfactants can be used in the medical/pharmaceutical sector, functioning as an antimicrobial agent [188,189], anticancer agent [21,23], anti-adhesive agent [20,24], immunological adjuvants [22,25], antiviral agent [16,190] and gene delivery agent [15,191]. Microbial biosurfactants play a functional role in the food industry as a food emulsifier and stabilizer [192], foaming agent, adhesive, and wetting and antimicrobial agent [190]. Fracchia et al [175] conducted a detailed review of biosurfactant applications in the textile industry where they are used as a pretreatment agent, for dye solubility, and to achieve penetration of the fiber.…”