Sophorolipids: A comprehensive review on properties and applications.

Sophorolipids are surface-active glycolipids produced by several non-pathogenic yeast species and are widely used as biosurfactants in several industrial applications. Sophorolipids provide a plethora of benefits over chemically synthesized surfactants for certain applications like bioremediation, oil recovery, and pharmaceuticals. They are, for instance less toxic, more benign and environment friendly in nature, biodegradable, freely adsorb to different surfaces, self-assembly in hydrated solutions, robustness for industrial applications etc. These miraculous properties result in valuable physicochemical attributes such as low critical micelle concentrations (CMCs), reduced interfacial surface tension, and capacity to dissolve non-polar components. Moreover, they exhibit a diverse range of physicochemical, functional, and biological attributes due to their unique molecular composition and structure. In this article, we highlight the physico-chemical properties of sophorolipids, how these properties are exploited by the human community for extensive benefits and the conditions which lead to their unique tailor-made structures and how they entail their interfacial behavior. Besides, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages associated with the use of these sophorolipids. We also review their physiological and functional attributes, along with their potential commercial applications, in real-world scenario. Biosurfactants are compared to their man-made equivalents to show the variations in structure-property correlations and possible benefits. Those attempting to manufacture purported natural or green surfactant with innovative and valuable qualities can benefit from an understanding of biosurfactant features structured along the same principles. The uniqueness of this review article is the detailed physico-chemical study of the sophorolipid biosurfactant and how these properties helps in their usage and detailed explicit study of their applications in the current scenario and also covering their pros and cons.

Effect of Bamboo Essential Oil on the Oxidative Stability, Microbial Attributes and Sensory Quality of Chicken Meatballs.

This study explores the efficacy of bamboo essential oil (BEO) incorporated at 15 ppm (T1, BEO-I) and 30 ppm (T2, BEO-II) on the overall physicochemical and oxidative stability, microbial deterioration, and sensory acceptability of meatballs stored for 20 days under refrigerated conditions. Analysis of various parameters, including physicochemical quality, color (CIE L*, CIE a* and CIE b*), generation of oxidative products (TBARS), microbial growth, and sensory acceptability of meatballs were evaluated at 5-day intervals. In addition, the total phenolics and flavonoid content of BEO were estimated, and fatty acids were determined by Gas chromatography (GC.) To gain insights into the biological activities of the BEO, antioxidant assays were determined in vitro using various methods. The antibacterial activity of BEO was also evaluated against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis) and Gram-negative (Vibrio cholera, Salmonella Typhimurium, Shigella flexneri, Proteus vulgaris, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae) bacterial strains. The BEO contained a good quantity of total phenolics and flavonoids. In addition, the oil exhibited very potent antioxidant activity scavenging reactive oxygen and other such species, effectively showing IC50 at a very minimal concentration. Further, the BEO exhibited a strong antibacterial effect with MICs within 2 µL and MBCs from 5 to 7 µL for Gram-positive as well as Gram-negative bacteria, respectively. At both the concentrations used, BEO did not show any negative effect on the color of cooked meatballs but rather increased the microbiological and oxidative stability during the overall storage period. Meatballs treated with BEO had considerably reduced oxidative changes in terms of TBARS levels compared to the control. The total viable microbial count was lowest in BEO-treated meatballs and the highest in control. Both control and treated meatballs had a desirable flavor and good acceptability. The sensory attributes and aroma of treated meatballs were better and acceptable during the storage study, whereas the control samples were disliked by the panelists on 15th day. From this study, it can be concluded that bamboo essential oil could be used as a benign and non-toxic preservative to improve the quality and shelf life of cooked meatballs stored under refrigerated conditions.