Glycolipid Biosurfactant Production from Waste Cooking Oils by Yeast: Review of Substrates, Producers and Products

Janis Liepins,Karina Balina,Liva Kristiana Lukasa,Elina Dace,Ieva Berzina,Raimonda Soloha

doi:10.3390/fermentation7030136

Abstract

Biosurfactants are a microbially synthesized alternative to synthetic surfactants, one of the most important bulk chemicals. Some yeast species are proven to be exceptional biosurfactant producers, while others are emerging producers. A set of factors affects the type, amount, and properties of the biosurfactant produced, as well as the environmental impact and costs of biosurfactant’s production. Exploring waste cooking oil as a substrate for biosurfactants’ production serves as an effective cost-cutting strategy, yet it has some limitations. This review explores the existing knowledge on utilizing waste cooking oil as a feedstock to produce glycolipid biosurfactants by yeast. The review focuses specifically on the differences created by using raw cooking oil or waste cooking oil as the substrate on the ability of various yeast species to synthesize sophorolipids, rhamnolipids, mannosylerythritol lipids, and other glycolipids and the substrate’s impact on the composition, properties, and limitations in the application of biosurfactants.

Highlights

An increasing need for materials, energy, and water forces the shift from a fossil-based linear economy to a sustainable circular bioeconomy
With the concepts of bioeconomy and circular economy high on the global agenda, the search for renewable bioresources and cheap waste materials as substrates has been initiated in many areas of research and industry, including BS production
Most studies are focusing on the synthesis of BSs from raw cooking oils, and there are relatively few results where the use of Waste cooking oil (WCO) is explored and even less where waste fats and grease are studied as substrates

Summary

Introduction

An increasing need for materials, energy, and water forces the shift from a fossil-based linear economy to a sustainable circular bioeconomy. With the bioeconomy concept high on the global agenda, search for biological feedstock that has the potential to generate a spectrum of bio-based products has been initiated in many areas of research and industry. In this context, biogenic waste is considered as a potential feedstock for developing a circular bioeconomy. BSs as secondary metabolites that can either remain attached to the cell surface or be secreted outside the cell [3]. Some yeast species, such as Starmerella bombicola and Pseudozyma antarctica, are proven to be exceptional BS producers [4].

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Conclusion