When sophorolipids (a plant-based cleanser) were added to beta-glucan in lab conditions, they prevented it from clumping together—unlike conventional surfactants like SDS, which made clumping worse. The sophorolipids worked through hydrophobic interactions without damaging beta-glucan's structure, suggesting they could help disrupt biofilms (bacterial communities linked to acne, eczema, and rosacea) while keeping the ingredient intact.

Researchers mixed sophorolipids with beta-glucan in water and measured what happened using light scattering, surface tension tests, and heat-based measurements to understand how the two ingredients interacted at a molecular level.

Funding not disclosed in abstract