Oxygen transfer rate and sophorose lipid production by Candida bombicola.

Sophorose lipids (SLs) have applications as surfactants and are produced at high levels by several yeasts. We developed a fed-batch shake-flask method for the production of SLs by Candida bombicola ATCC 22214. Optimal aeration, expressed in terms of oxygen transfer rate, was between 50 and 80 mM O(2)/L h(-1) and resulted in maximum values for both volumetric product formation (1-1.5 g/L h(-1)) and SL yield (350 g/L). The lowest aeration levels resulted in the enrichment in saturated fatty acid SLs at the expense of unsaturated fatty acid SLs.