| CPC C12P 19/44 (2013.01) | 8 Claims |
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1. A method for producing a sophorolipid composition with an HLB of 9 or greater, the method comprising:
obtaining a yeast fermentation product comprising a mixture of hydrophilic SLP molecules comprising non-acetylated linear SLP, and hydrophobic SLP molecules comprising lactonic SLP and mono-and di-acetylated linear SLP, said mixture being produced by cultivating a SLP-producing microorganism;
functionalizing the hydrophobic SLP molecules by converting them into hydrophilic molecules to produce a hydrophilic SLP fraction comprising only hydrophilic SLP molecules, wherein the hydrophobic SLP molecules are converted to hydrophilic SLP molecules by mixing the hydrophobic SLP molecules with a base;
producing a purified hydrophobic SLP fraction; and
mixing the hydrophilic SLP fraction with the purified hydrophobic SLP fraction at a ratio of hydrophilic SLP molecules to purified hydrophobic SLP molecules between 60:40 to 75:25.
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