Sophorolactone production

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for selectively producing sophorolactone without use of organic solvent, comprising the steps of: —pre-cultivating cells of aspecies capable of producing sophorolactone, in absence of an oily substrate until a stationary growth phase is obtained, —cultivating said pre-cultivated cells in an aqueous medium in the presence of at least one fermentable sugar and substrate; the reaction mixture of sugar, substrate and pre-cultivated cells being present in an amount and conditions such that the cells metabolize the sugar and substrate thereby forming sophorolactone and fatty acid, —continuously feeding said substrate to said cells thereby suppressing the formation of fatty acid and keeping fatty acid levels in the reaction mixture below 10 g/l, resulting in the crystallization of at least part of the sophorolactone present in the reaction mixture, —warming the reaction mixture to a temperature between 60° C. and 90° C., thereby melting the sophorolactone crystals, —allowing the molten sophorolactone to settle and to provide a crude sophorolactone composition, and —removing the crude sophorolactone composition from the remainder of the reaction mixture without use of an organic solvent.