A research group critically analyzed the application of biosurfactants in food industries, highlighting the challenges in the large-scale commercialization of biosurfactants.
About Biosurfactants:
They are surface-active molecules produced by microorganisms, either on the cell surface or secreted extracellularly.
They form a thin film on the surface of microorganisms and help in their detachment or attachment to other cell surfaces.
They are involved in regulating the motility of bacteria and quorum sensing.
Features:
Microbial biosurfactants obtained from various microbial sources exhibit high emulsification, solubilization, foaming, adsorption, and other physical characteristics.
They are very stable in a wide range of pH, temperature, and salinity, making them suitable for food applications.
These are eco-friendly biomolecules and do not impart toxic effects; therefore, they can be considered safe for human consumption.
Applications
These are used in the food industry like bakeries and salad dressings.
These can be used for heavy metal removal from vegetables to boost immunity in fish, providing a protective effect against the pathogen.
Also, it can be employed in food products as a natural antioxidant to prevent early spoilage.
What are surfactants?
These are molecules that slither across surfaces of oil and water, water and oil, or air and water to form an emulsion.
Surfactants are very useful in the food industry as lubricants and foamers to emulsify fats in batters, improve shelf life, as dispersing agents, and retain moisture.
Issues: However, the accelerated usage of synthetic food additives and emulsifiers in dietary goods has led to imbalances in the microbiome of the body, gut-related disorders and affect the intestinal barrier permeability leading to declination of beneficial microbiota.
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