Formulation of cosmetic and personal care products with biosurfactants obtained from corn steep liquor

Abstract

For decades, the agro-industrial waste has been a focus of interest for many researchers around the world because its constituents can be used as components in the generation of natural products with commercial interests. In addition to the advantage that means developing products with high added value, the use of waste and agro-industrial products favors the preservation of the environment, promoting the development of technologies oriented to a sustainable transformation of natural resources. In this sense, the stream of corn steep liquor (CSL), obtained as an agro-industrial residue during the wet processing of corn, seems to be an interesting source for obtaining natural products. Its application was mainly based either as a nitrogen source in low cost processes such as fermentation or as feed supplement. However, recently, the EQ10 research group from the University of Vigo, has discovered the presence of biosurfactants in these industrial streams, a fact that increases the added value thereof. Therefore, it is necessary to know the importance of obtaining these agro-industrial wastes, as well as the role that biosurfactants play in the cosmetic industry, which will greatly help to understand the purpose of this phD thesis. Regarding the importance of biosurfactants, they can be defined as natural detergents with great potential for being applied in the formulation of cosmetic and personal care products, replacing chemical surfactants, in order to obtain more environmentally friendly products. Surfactants are widely used in cosmetics as they lower the surface tension of cosmetics and can also be obtained a better distribution of the product. This is due to the solubilizing, wetting, foaming and dispersing actions that surfactants present, being the emulsifying function the most important for the formulation of cosmetics. Moreover, biosurfactants have the same functions as surfactants chemically synthesized, within the cosmetic product (emulsifier, solubilizer, etc.) with the advantage that they are more biodegradable, less toxic, and with high stability to pH changes and temperature. For these characteristics, biosurfactants are raised in this project as possible natural and biocompatible ingredients in cosmetic formulations. Thus, it is interesting to evaluate its properties for subsequent inclusion in cosmetic formulations, as well as studying the interaction with different active ingredients which are normally used in such kind of products. Notably, the interest in these biosurfactants in industries related with corn procesiing has grown internationally. On the other hand, cosmetic products refering as shampoos, creams, gels and makeups, used in our daily hygiene, have in several cases a complex chemical composition. This may induce irritative or allergic reactions as a result of including certain compounds, such as synthetic detergents, in their formulation. Because of this, nowadays, exist a tendency to search for natural cosmetic products or with natural based ingredients as biosurfactants, antioxidants and/ or vitamins. With these natural compounds the consumer expects to obtain a product with better quality that have a positive impact on their lives.