The demand for bio-based surfactants is increasing and is influenced by the growing consumer awareness of the benefits of bio-based products. Biobased surfactants are surface-active biomolecules derived from renewable feedstocks, such as sugar and palm oil. One advantage of utilising renewable feedstocks in surfactant production is to reduce carbon dioxide emissions (Foley et al., 2012). Sugar ester, a type of bio-based non-ionic surfactant, is an amphiphilic compound composed of a sugar and fatty acid moiety (Figure 1). They are usually odourless, biodegradable, non-toxic and non-irritating, and are therefore commonly used in food, cosmetics and personal care products (Ye and Hayes, 2014).