Compositions comprising reaction products of saccharide polymers and fatty acids or fatty esters formulated with an amide-based neutral surfactant

A method comprising:

• heating a saccharide polymer, a fatty acid or a fatty ester, a neutral surfactant, and a hydroxide base in an aqueous phase, the saccharide polymer comprising a dextran, a dextrin compound, or any combination thereof;
• wherein the neutral surfactant comprises at least one compound having a structure of
• wherein:
• R1 is a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbyl group having about 8 to about 30 carbon atoms;
• R2 is C1-C4 optionally branched alkyl, CH2OH, CH2O (CH2CH2O)xCH2CH2OH, or CH(OH)CH2OH;
• and
• R3 is H or C1-C4 optionally branched alkyl;
• wherein R2 and R3 are not simultaneously CH2OH and H, respectively, and x is 0 or a positive integer;
• and
• obtaining a reaction product of the saccharide polymer and the fatty acid or the fatty ester in the aqueous phase, the aqueous phase also containing the neutral surfactant;
• wherein the fatty acid consists of one or more straight-chain fatty acids or the fatty ester consists of one or more straight-chain fatty acid components.