NOVEL BIOEMULSIFIERS FROM MICROORGANISMS FOR USE IN FOODS

The main objective of this study was to test a range of microorganisms for production of extracellular, high molecular weight emulsifiers for potential use in foods. A standard emulsification assay developed specifically for assessing food emulsifiers was used to examine 24 extracellular microbial products from bacteria, yeasts and algae. Of the 24 products tested, nine had emulsification ability that was as good as and eight had emulsifying properties that were better than those of the commonly used food emulsifiers gum arabic and carboxymethylcellulose. The eight good producer organisms included the yeasts Candida utilis, Candida valida, Hansenula anomala, Rhodospiridium diobouatum and Rhodotorula graminis, the red alga Porphiridium cruentum, and the bacteria Klebsiella spp. and Acinetobacter calcoaceticus. Of these, C. utilis was selected for further study due to the excellent emulsification properties of its extracellular products and the food-grade status of the organism. Crude preparations of the bioemulsifier from C. utilis exhibited low viscosity and had a carbohydrate content of over 80%. Preliminary trials showed that the bioemulsifier from this organism had potential for use in salad cream.