Polyglycerol Esters (PGEs) Enzymatic Synthesis Service

Polyglycerol Esters (PGEs) are non-ionic, food-grade emulsifiers widely used in cosmetics and food products due to their high hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) and stability. PGE production is challenging because Chemical synthesis requires high temperatures (>200 ℃) and produces by-products like acrolein and undesirable color changes. There is a strong need for bio-based, milder synthesis methods to achieve better control over the molecular structure (degree of polymerization and esterification).

CD Biosynsis offers a dedicated enzymatic and metabolic engineering strategy. Our primary solution is Enzymatic synthesis using immobilized lipases/esterases in mild conditions (low temperature, solvent-free) to control the degree of esterification . Lipases act as highly selective biocatalysts, allowing precise control over which hydroxyl groups on the polyglycerol backbone are esterified, leading to cleaner, purer products. Complementary to this, we focus on Metabolic engineering of yeast to produce specific fatty acids and glycerol derivatives as precursors . By engineering the microbial host to generate the required long-chain fatty acids (e.g., Stearic or Oleic Acid) and polyglycerol units (often derived from Glycerol), we create a 100% bio-based source for the PGE production, avoiding petrochemical dependence and side product formation.

Pain Points

Industrial PGE production faces these key challenges:

• Harsh Conditions and Side Products from Chemical Synthesis: Chemical esterification requires temperatures above 200 ℃ with alkaline catalysts, leading to dark color formation, acrolein by-products , and energy inefficiency.
• Lack of Structural Control: Chemical synthesis yields a broad mixture of mono-, di-, and polyesters with random esterification, making it difficult to control the final HLB value and emulsification properties.
• Non-Bio-Based Precursors: Polyglycerol is often produced chemically from petrochemical glycerol, limiting the ability to market PGEs as fully natural or bio-derived .
• Lipase Instability and Recycling: While lipase catalysis is desired, the cost of free lipases is high, and achieving stable enzyme immobilization and reuse for industrial scale is a key bottleneck.

A successful solution must provide mild reaction conditions, control the molecular structure, and ideally, utilize bio-based precursors.

Solutions

CD Biosynsis utilizes advanced enzymatic and metabolic engineering to optimize PGE production:

Enzymatic Synthesis with Immobilized Lipases/Esterases

           

We engineer and immobilize lipases for solvent-free esterification at <80 ℃ to produce high-purity, colorless PGEs.

Control the Degree of Esterification and HLB Value

By carefully selecting the lipase type and reaction time, we achieve precise control over the mono- vs. di-ester ratio , allowing tailored HLB values.

Metabolic Engineering for Bio-Based Precursors

We engineer yeast strains to produce specific fatty acids (C18:0 or C18:1) and Polyglycerol backbones from simple sugars.

Lipase Immobilization and Reusability

We develop optimized supports and protocols for high stability and recycling of the immobilized lipase , reducing enzyme costs.

This approach results in PGEs with superior quality, structural consistency, and bio-based origin.

Advantages

Our PGE engineering service is dedicated to pursuing the following production goals:

High Structural Purity Icon

Enzymatic synthesis minimizes side products and color formation seen in high-temperature chemical routes, yielding purer PGEs.

Controlled HLB Value Icon

The selectivity of lipases enables precise control over the degree of esterification , allowing tailored HLB values for specific emulsification needs.

Bio-Based and Sustainable Icon

Using bio-based precursors and mild reaction conditions aligns with green chemistry and natural cosmetic standards. [Image of Cost Reduction Icon]

Reduced Energy Consumption Icon

The reaction temperature is drastically reduced from >200 ℃ to <80 ℃ , leading to significant energy savings.

Enzyme Reusability and Cost Efficiency Icon

Optimized immobilization protocols allow for the reuse of the lipase catalyst, improving cost effectiveness on a large scale .

We provide a sustainable, high-quality, and structurally consistent platform for PGE manufacturing.

Process

Our Polyglycerol Esters service focuses on two integrated research workflows:

• Lipase Engineering and Immobilization: Screen or engineer lipases with high activity and stability in solvent-free media, and develop optimized immobilization supports (e.g., adsorbent resins) for reuse.
• Enzymatic Esterification Optimization: Tune the reaction parameters (temperature, substrate molar ratio, water activity) to precisely control the degree of esterification and HLB value.
• Precursor Supply Engineering: Metabolically engineer yeast strains to overproduce specific chain-length fatty acids (e.g., C18:0 or C12:0)} for the esterification step.
• Polyglycerol Backbone Bio-Synthesis: Explore and optimize microbial pathways for the oligomerization of glycerol to create bio-based Polyglycerol precursors (e.g., Diglycerol or Triglycerol).
• Product Characterization: Validate the final PGE product using analytical methods (GPC and HPLC) to measure polymerization degree, esterification degree, and final HLB value .

Technical communication is maintained throughout the process, focusing on timely feedback regarding structural characteristics and yield.

Explore the potential for a high-quality, structurally defined PGE supply. CD Biosynsis provides customized enzymatic and metabolic solutions:

• Detailed Lipase Immobilization Reusability Report , demonstrating stability over multiple reaction cycles.
• Consultation on optimized enzymatic reaction protocols for achieving specific HLB targets (e.g., PGE 4 or PGE 10).
• Experimental reports include complete raw data on esterification degree, mono- vs. di-ester ratio, and final HLB calculation , essential for emulsifier performance.