Production of biosurfactants from sugar alcohols and vegetable oils catalyzed by lipases in a nonaqueous medium.

Porcine pancreatic and Chromobacterium viscosum lipases catalyze transesterification reactions between a number of sugar alcohols and various plant and animal oils in dry pyridine. The products of this process have been identified as primary monoesters of sugar alcohols and fatty acids. These enzymatically prepared sugar alcohol esters have been found to be excellent surfactants in terms of their ability to reduce interfacial and surface tensions and to stabilize emulsions.