Abstract: Sucrose fatty acid esters (sucrose esters) are a class of non-ionic surfactants that are safe, non-toxic, and biodegradable. Approved as food additives by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), they hold considerable promise for a wide range of applications. In contrast to conventional chemical synthesis, which often suffers from poor selectivity and catalyst residue, enzymatic synthesis has emerged as an ideal route for the green and precise preparation of sucrose esters, owing to its mild reaction conditions, high regioselectivity, and environmental friendliness. This review provides a systematic account of recent progress in the enzymatic synthesis of sucrose esters. It begins by describing the structural characteristics of sucrose esters and exploring the intrinsic structure-function relationships that govern their properties, along with evolving research trends in this area. Subsequently, the catalytic mechanisms of enzymes are elucidated at the molecular level, with a focus on the origin of regioselectivity and the regulatory role of the microenvironment in modulating enzyme conformation and activity. Recent advances in reaction system optimization are then synthesized, and the current applications of sucrose esters in the food and pharmaceutical sectors are summarized. Finally, key challenges hindering the industrialization of sucrose ester enzymatic synthesis are identified, and future research directions are proposed, with the aim of providing a theoretical foundation to support its industrial application.

Key words: sucrose fatty acid esters; enzymatic synthesis; structure-function relationship; catalytic mechanism; regioselectivity; process optimization