Workshop Food, Drinks, Packaging Co-Optimization of Cyber-Physical Systems 2023

Surfactants are widely used in industry and daily life. Traditional surfactants from fossil fuels are being replaced by biobased options. Microbially produced biosurfactants, like MEL, are gaining attention for their properties. However, MEL production from vegetable oil competes with food security. This study explores using waste and side streams to produce MEL, and shows that the substrate used affects the structure of the MEL produced. In fact, an unconventional substrate led to the creation of a new MEL-like compound.