Process for the preparation of long-chain alkylglycosides

A process for the preparation of long-chain alkyl glycosides, comprising:

• reacting at least one substrate selected from a group consisting of carbohydrates and carbohydrate sources and at least one fatty alkanol of at least eight carbon atoms in a medium comprising at least one glycosidase enzyme having a temperature optimum greater than 60° C. and having thermal stability half-life of greater than 24 hours at 80° C., wherein said enzyme is characterised by the ability of 0.05 mg of said enzyme to catalyze a reaction between 750 mg dodecanol and 50 mg of beta methyl glycoside at 80° C. to achieve a rate of dodecyl glycoside formation of at least 20 micromole per day per mg of the enzyme, and a reaction promoter selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol, and isopropanol and mixtures thereof, at a pH of about 3.5-7.0 and wherein said reaction promoter constitutes less than 50% by weight of the reactive mixture;
• said process further comprising the steps of separating the resulting aqueous and organic phases, and removing said reaction promoter from said organic phase, whereupon said remaining organic phase separates into a first phase containing excess reagent and a second phase containing the long-chain alkyl glycoside product.