Biosurfactants: Production and application prospects in the food industry

Abstract

There has been considerable interest in the use of biosurfactants due to the diversity of structures and the possibility of production from a variety of substrates. The potential for industrial applications has been growing, as these natural compounds are tolerant to common processing methods and can compete with synthetic surfactants with regards to the capacity to reduce surface and interfacial tensions as well as stabilise emulsions while offering the advantages of biodegradability and low toxicity. Among biosurfactant-producing microorganisms, some yeasts present no risks of toxicity or pathogenicity, making them ideal for use in food formulations. Indeed, the use of these biomolecules in foods has attracted industrial interest due to their properties as emulsifiers and stabilizers of emulsions. Studies have also demonstrated other valuable properties, such as antioxidant and antimicrobial activity, enabling the aggregation of greater value to products and the avoidance of contamination both during and after processing. All these characteristics allow biosurfactants to be used as additives and versatile ingredients for the processing of foods. The present review discusses the potential application of biosurfactants as emulsifying agents in food formulations, such as salad dressing, bread, cakes, cookies, and ice cream. The antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-adhesive properties of these biomolecules are also discussed, demonstrating the need for further studies to make the use of the natural compounds viable in this expanding sector.

Synergistic antibacterial and antibiofilm effects of ultrasound and MEL-A against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

“…All these characteristics allow biosurfactants to be used as additives and versatile ingredients for the processing of foods. The antimicrobial property has enabled aggregation of greater value to products and the avoidance of contamination both during and after processing [29] . As a kind of biosurfactant, MELs have been reported to show strong antibacterial activity against pathogenic gram-positive bacteria, especially MEL-A and MEL-B [10] .…”

A critical review on various feedstocks as sustainable substrates for biosurfactants production: a way towards cleaner production

“…Biosurfactants are gaining popularity due to their remarkable advantages over synthetic ones—low toxicity, biodegradability, efficacy over a broad pH and temperature range are just a few to name [ 5 – 7 ]. As a result, it is now used in a wide range of fields, including environmental [ 8 – 10 ], food [ 11 , 12 ], remediation [ 13 ], biomedical [ 14 – 16 ], and a variety of other commercial applications [ 17 – 20 ]. The different feedstocks used, benefits, applications, and drawbacks of biosurfactants are depicted in Fig.…”

Recent Trends on Biosurfactants With Antimicrobial Activity Produced by Bacteria Associated With Human Health: Different Perspectives on Their Properties, Challenges, and Potential Applications

“…A large number of reviews have detailed the promising applications of BS molecules from different bacteria to resolve biomedical problems or for food preservation (Fariq and Saeed, 2016;Naughton et al, 2019;Satpute et al, 2019;Ribeiro et al, 2020). Few review papers inquire into the human body sites where BSs are produced as well as the diverse bioactivities that they harbor (beyond the surfactant capacity) (Chen et al, 2017).…”