SOPHOROLACTONE PRODUCTION

The present invention relates to a process for selectively producing sophorolactone without use of organic solvent, comprising the steps of: -pre-cultivating cells of a Candida species capable of producing sophorolactone, in absence of an oily substrate until a stationary growth phase is obtained, -cultivating said pre-cultivated cells in an aqueous medium in the presence of at least one fermentable sugar and substrate; the reaction mixture of sugar, substrate and pre-cultivated cells being present in an amount and conditions such that the cells metabolize the sugar and substrate thereby forming sophorolactone and fatty acid, -continuously feeding said substrate to said cells thereby suppressing the formation of fatty acid and keeping fatty acid levels in the reaction mixture below 10 g/l, resulting in the crystallization of at least part of the sophorolactone present in the reaction mixture, -warming the reaction mixture to a temperature between 60° C. and 90° C., thereby melting the sophorolactone crystals, -allowing the molten sophorolactone to settle and to provide a crude sophorolactone composition, and -removing the crude sophorolactone composition from the remainder of the reaction mixture without use of an organic solvent.