This review aims to identify the challenges and opportunities
in
sustainable production of sugar-based alkyl polyglycoside, s-APG,
by first assessing and subsequently comparing the production route
and downstream processing for both the chemically and biologically
catalyzed synthesis process, from the perspective of critical operating
parameters, type of reactor technologies, and downstream processing
strategies. From a sustainability point-view, the acidic homogeneous
catalyst in chemically catalyzed s-APG production should be substituted
by a practically active, stable, and recyclable heterogeneous catalyst.
Alternatively, the green solvent could be used to increase the interaction
between sugar and fatty alcohol, resulting in high yield s-APG without
using a catalyst. To make the process employing biocatalyst more economically
competitive, the free enzyme must be reused through the immobilization
method, reactor intensified with membrane or other appropriate downstream
processes. A less energy-intensive extraction process to replace the
existing evaporative method to separate fatty alcohol from s-APG also
deserves an intensive investigation.