Production of new antimicrobial palm oil-derived sophorolipids by the yeast Starmerella riodocensis sp. nov. against Candida albicans hyphal and biofilm formation.

Background: Microbial derived-surfactants display low eco-toxicity, diverse functionality, high biodegradability, high specificity, and stability under extreme conditions. Sophorolipids are emerging as key biosurfactants of yeast origins, used in various industrial sectors to lower surface tension. Recently, sophorolipid complexes have been applied in biomedicals and agriculture to eradicate infectious problems related to human and plant fungal pathogens.