Green substrates from agro-industrial waste can be used to produce biosurfactants, a healthier replacement for synthetic surfactants, for the food industry.

Surfactants are molecules that slide across the surfaces of oil and water or air and water, forming an emulsion. They are very useful in the food industry as lubricants and foaming agents, to emulsify fats in dough, to improve shelf life, as dispersants and for moisture retention. However, the increasing use of synthetic food additives and emulsifiers in foods has led to imbalances in the body’s microbiome and gut diseases, compromising the permeability of the gut barrier, leading to a decline in beneficial microbiota. Therefore, an alternative option is essential.

Microbial biosurfactants from various microbial sources are very stable over a wide range of pH, temperature and salinity and are therefore suitable for food applications. Since biosurfactants are environmentally friendly and have no toxic effects, they are considered safe for human consumption.

A research group led by Prof Ashis K Mukherjee, Director, IASST, Prof MR Khan and Anushree Roy from IASST, Guwahati critically analyzed the application of biosurfactants in the food industry and highlighted the challenges in large-scale commercialization of biosurfactants. In the food industry, biosurfactants can be used in baked goods and salad dressings, to remove heavy metals from vegetables, to boost the immunity of fish and thus provide protective effect against the pathogen.

The study investigates the use of green substrates from agro-industrial waste for cost-effective production of biosurfactants, using genetic engineering, recombinant DNA technologies and nanotechnology to increase yields, according to a press release.