Research that could be used to inform surfactant formulation has been recognized as the best paper published in 2024 in the Journal of Surfactants and Detergents.
The authors are being recognized during the 2025 American Oil Chemists’ Society (AOCS) Annual Meeting, held April 27 to 30, at the Oregon Convention Center, Portland, Oregon.
The Distinguished Paper Award is an annual honor presented by the American Cleaning Institute® (ACI).
The authors of the research include Sini Münßinger, Institute of Interfacial Process Engineering and Plasma Technology IGVP, Alexander Beck, Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB, Amira Oraby, Research and Development Project Manager, CampusAlliance GmbH and Susanne Zibek, Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB.
Their article focuses on glycolipids cellobiose lipids (CL) and mannosylerythritol lipids (MEL), which are biosurfactants mainly synthesized by microorganisms of the Ustilaginaceae family. They have a large structural diversity, varying in their sugar moieties and the attached fatty acids, resulting in a prospectively broad range of applications. Their literature review provides a detailed overview of known microbial producers of CL and MEL, and their respective metabolic pathways that result in different molecular structures. Further, current advances in the aerobic fermentative synthesis of the glycolipids and their purification methods are illustrated.
Considerable knowledge has already been generated regarding the two glycolipids CL and MEL, including their biosynthesis. Numerous scientific publications exist on their production at a laboratory scale. However, there are still significant gaps in our understanding of these glycolipids and their production on large-scale. Future studies are needed to address these gaps comprehensively.
“We are thrilled to be presented with this award,” said the paper’s authors. “This knowledge, along with the identified gaps, can guide targeted research and development of CL and MEL production processes. As bio-based alternatives to traditional oleochemical surfactants, these biosurfactants derived from renewable raw materials have long-term potential for industrial applications, offering sustainability benefits to counteract current challenges like depletion of fossil resources and climate change.”
The paper, “Past, present and future of glycolipids from Ustilaginaceae – A review on cellobioselipids and mannosylerythritol lipids” was published in the Journal of Surfactants and Detergents, May 2024, Volume 27, Issue 5, pp 647-689.
The American Cleaning Institute® (ACI – www.cleaninginstitute.org) is the Home of the U.S. Cleaning Products Industry® and represents the $60 billion U.S. cleaning product supply chain. ACI members include the manufacturers and formulators of soaps, detergents, and general cleaning products used in household, commercial, industrial and institutional settings; companies that supply ingredients and finished packaging for these products; and chemical distributors. ACI serves the growth and innovation of the U.S. cleaning products industry by advancing the health and quality of life of people and protecting our planet. ACI achieves this through a continuous commitment to sound science and being a credible voice for the cleaning products industry.