PRODUCTION OF SOPHOROLIPIDS USING THE YEAST Candida bombicola ATTC 22214 FOR THE APPLICATIONS IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY

Lactonic sophorolipids were produced by the yeast Candida Bombicola ATTC 22214 (Torulopsis bombicola) in a 3L bioreactor using batch cultivation, with corn oil and glucose as carbon sources. The main compound of the lactonic mixture was separated from the mixture by column chromotography and was identified as 17 hydroxyoctadecanoic-1’,4’’-lactone 6’ 6’’ diacetate sophorolipid. Surface tension measurements showed that both the crude lactonic mixture and the diacetyl lactone lowered the surface tension of pure water from 72 din cm to 43,5 din cm and 38.9 din cm respectively thus proving that both samples were surface active. The bio-product consists of only sophorose sugar and lipid in its structure and this can safely be used in food industry as a biosurfactant, either in its crude mixture form or in purified diacetylactonic form.