Candida lipolytica IA 1055 produced an extracellular emulsifier when using babassu oil as its sole carbon source during batch and fed batch fermentations at 27 degrees C. Emulsification activity was detected after 60 h of growth in all conditions studied. The bioemulsifier was isolated after 144 h of fermentation from the best condition studied. The biopolymer seems to be a polysaccharide-protein-lipid complex.