■ Green New Power Hidden in Microorganisms — Sophorolipid
Seedling Bio has successfully developed microbial fermentation, product separation and purification processes for sophorolipid. Through fermentation‑process optimization, the sophorolipid titer can exceed 250 g/L. The finished product is a pale‑yellow to amber transparent liquid. By adjusting production parameters, sophorolipid products of varying concentrations can be prepared to meet application requirements for diverse scenarios.
Production Process: Non‑pathogenic yeast is adopted as the production strain. Using renewable resources such as glucose and vegetable oils as major raw materials, sophorolipid is obtained via fermentation culture, filtration, decolorization and concentration. Compared with complex workflows including polymerization, alkylation, ethoxylation and sulfonation deployed in conventional surfactant manufacturing, Seedling Bio’s sophorolipid production process delivers remarkable advantages in safety, efficiency, environmental friendliness and cost‑effectiveness.
■ Product Introduction
■ Decoding the Structure and Types of Sophorolipid
Within the family of biosurfactants, sophorolipid stands out as a high‑performance member. It is mainly produced by Candida yeast species. Its hydrophilic moiety consists of two sophorose molecules, and the hydrophobic segment is a long‑chain hydroxy fatty acid. Dependent on the acetylation degree and position of sugar moieties, as well as fatty‑acid chain length, hydroxylation site and saturation status, dozens to hundreds of structural variants can be generated. Based on the presence or absence of intramolecular esterification, sophorolipids are mainly categorized into acidic type and lactonic type. Lactonic sophorolipid exhibits prominent antibacterial and anti‑tumor activities, while acidic sophorolipid delivers superior solubilizing and foaming capacity together with better antiviral performance.
Figure 1 Schematic diagram of molecular structure of sophorolipid
■ Outstanding Performance & Multiple Biological Activities
√ Excellent Surface Activity: CMC value ranges from 40‑100 mg/L. A small dosage can sharply lower surface tension (72.8 → 30‑40 mN/m) and improve cleansing and penetrating power.
Figure 2 Performance comparison between sophorolipid (SL) and other common surfactants
√ Hydrophilic‑Lipophilic Balance (HLB): 10‑13, suitable as emulsifier for oil‑in‑water emulsions.
√ Temperature‑resistant and salt‑tolerant
√ Non‑toxic, 100% biodegradable
√ Mild and non‑irritating to skin
Figure 3 Irritation comparison between sophorolipid (SL) and other common surfactants
Compared with conventional surfactants widely used in personal‑care products, sophorolipid is milder with lower irritation.
√ Anti‑inflammatory & Soothing Effects
Figure 4 Inhibitory effect of sophorolipid (SL) at different concentrations on inflammatory factors
Sophorolipid can significantly suppress excessive secretion of IL‑6 and TNF‑α induced by lipopolysaccharide and mitigate inflammation.
Figure 5 Antihistamine effect of sophorolipid (SL) at different concentrations
Pre‑injection of 0.25%‑1% sophorolipid can markedly reduce histamine‑provoked scratching behavior in mice, demonstrating favorable skin‑soothing properties of sophorolipid.
√ Antibacterial Activity
Figure 6 Growth‑inhibitory effect of sophorolipid at different concentrations against Candida albicans
Distinct bactericidal and bacteriolytic effects are observed when sophorolipid concentration exceeds 8.00 mg/mL.
■ Multi‑field Application Scenarios: Unlocking Multiple Identities of Sophorolipid
Petroleum & Environmental Protection
1. Enhanced Oil Recovery
Sophorolipid serves as an ideal surface‑active component for alkali‑surfactant‑polymer (ASP) flooding systems to boost crude‑oil recovery efficiency.
Figure 7 Physical simulation experiment of oil displacement by sophorolipid
Figure 8 Oil‑displacement simulation test of compound system composed of sodium carbonate, rhamnolipid and sophorolipid
2. Oil‑Contaminated Sludge Treatment
Research shows that treatment with 0.05% sophorolipid achieves 69.57% crude‑oil removal rate for oil‑contaminated sludge. It realizes resource recovery and harmless disposal of oily sludge and prevents hazardous substances from polluting soil and groundwater.
Figure 9 Elution performance on oily sludge with sophorolipid of different concentrations
Daily‑use Chemicals
It covers full‑range scenarios in personal‑care industry. Leveraging its core mild properties, sophorolipid is widely applicable to baby care, sensitive‑skin care, makeup removal & cleansing, oral care, household cleaning and many other fields.
For hair care applications, it can not only gently cleanse scalp sebum, but also promote hair growth and improve scalp conditions. It fits well with shampoo and hair‑growth serums, delivering integrated cleansing, care and nourishment.
Figure 10 Hair‑regeneration promoting effect of sophorolipid
Agriculture
Bacteriostasis & Fresh‑keeping: Sophorolipid presents favorable inhibitory effects on common pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms. It can be used as a novel fungicide for crop cultivation and as preservative for fruits and vegetables. For instance, apples coated with 3.0 mg/mL sophorolipid still retain glossy peel after 9‑day storage.
Figure 11 Fresh‑keeping effect of sophorolipid on apples (A: blank control; B: apple coated with 3.0 mg/mL sophorolipid)
A multi‑functional treasure ingredient, sophorolipid represents the perfect combination of nature and modern biotechnology, embodying scientific concepts of healthy lifestyle, environmental protection and sustainable development. Within the vast surfactant market, sophorolipid stands as one of the most promising alternatives to conventional surfactants thanks to its outstanding performance. According to relevant reports, the global sophorolipid market is projected to reach approximately USD 1.5 billion in 2025 and grow to around USD 2.0 billion by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 6.5%. China’s market growth is particularly remarkable: China’s sophorolipid market size is expected to expand from USD 350 million in 2025 to USD 550 million by 2030, lifting its global market share from 23% to 27.5%. Going forward, Seedling Bio will develop multi‑dimensional, diversified and customized products and solutions centered on sophorolipid to facilitate its broader deployment across multiple industries.
