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Updated: Apr 28, 2026

Enhanced Oil Recovery using a Combination of Biosurfactants
Published on: June 3, 2022
Sugar ester surfactants: enzymatic synthesis and applications in food industry
Nair S Neta1, José A Teixeira, Lígia R Rodrigues
1a Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering (IBB), Centre of Biological Engineering , University of Minho , Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga , Portugal.
Abstract:
Sugar esters are non-ionic surfactants that can be synthesized in a single enzymatic reaction step using lipases. The stability and efficiency of lipases under unusual conditions and using non-conventional media can be significantly improved through immobilization and protein engineering. Also, the development of de novo enzymes has seen a significant increase lately under the scope of the new field of synthetic biology. Depending on the esterification degree and the nature of fatty acid and/or sugar, a range of sugar esters can be synthesized. Due to their surface activity and emulsifying capacity, sugar esters are promising for applications in food industry.
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