Methods of producing compositions comprising hydrophilic sophorolipids

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12460238-B2
Application number	US-202117769951-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 20, 2021
Priority date	May 20, 2020
Publication date	Nov 4, 2025
Grant date	Nov 4, 2025

Abstract

The subject invention provides materials and methods for producing high-HLB sophorolipid-based compositions and/or for increasing the water solubility of sophorolipid compositions. More specifically, the subject invention provides for the production and post-fermentation alteration of SLP molecules, which can be used for formulating a variety of useful compositions.

First claim

We claim:

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.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein producing the purified hydrophobic SLP fraction comprises allowing a second yeast fermentation product to sit undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours, wherein a layer substantially comprising hydrophobic SLP molecules settles to the bottom of the second yeast fermentation product,
wherein the settled layer is harvested to obtain a crude hydrophobic SLP fraction comprising residual yeast cells, glucose, fatty acids, and/or fermentation broth, in addition to the hydrophobic SLP molecules, and the crude hydrophobic SLP fraction is treated to remove the residual yeast cells, glucose, fatty acids, and/or fermentation broth, thereby producing the purified hydrophobic SLP fraction.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the SLP-producing microorganism is Starmerella bombicola.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein converting the hydrophobic SLP molecules into hydrophilic SLP molecules modifies a functional property of the sophorolipid composition selected from HLB, solubility, foaming, detergency, emulsification, demulsification, and wettability alteration.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the functional property is HLB.

6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the functional property is water solubility, and wherein the water solubility is increased.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the base facilitates alkali-mediated l actone bond breakage of lactonic SLP molecules and/or alkali-mediated deacetylation of lactonic and/or linear SLP molecules.

8 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the water solubility of the hydrophobic SLP fraction is increased by mixing the fraction with an organic amine selected from ethanolamine, triethanolamine, propylamine, and isopropylamine.

Assignees

• Locus Solutions Ipco Llc

Inventors

• Farmer Sean
• Alibek Ken
• Mahmoudkhani Amir
• Da Silva De Aguiar Janaina Izabel

Classifications

• C09K8/62

  Compositions for forming crevices or fractures · CPC title

• C09K8/52

  Compositions for preventing, limiting or eliminating depositions, e.g. for cleaning · CPC title

• C09K8/50

  Compositions for plastering borehole walls, i.e. compositions for temporary consolidation of borehole walls (compositions for consolidating loose sand or the like around wells C09K8/56) · CPC title

• C09K8/04

  Aqueous well-drilling compositions · CPC title

• C09K2208/32

  Anticorrosion additives · CPC title