Preparing acylglycinate compound (I), comprises reacting glycine with fatty acid chloride (II) in water and in the presence of a basic alkali metal compound, which provides a cation, and in the absence of organic solvents at 25-50[deg] C, where the amount of the fatty acid chloride containing unsaturated 18C acyl group is >= 2 wt.%, preferably 4-10 wt.%, based on the total amount of the fatty acid chloride, and the amount of the fatty acid chloride containing saturated 8-10C acyl groups is >= 3 wt.%, preferably 5-8 wt.%, based on the total amount of the fatty acid chloride. Preparing acylglycinate compound of formula ((R1-N(H)-CH 2-C(=O)-O ->)(Q +>)) (I), comprises reacting glycine with a fatty acid chloride of formula (R1Cl) (II) in water and in the presence of a basic alkali metal compound, which provides a cation, and in the absence of organic solvents at 25-50[deg] C, where the amount of the fatty acid chloride containing unsaturated 18C acyl groups is >= 2 wt.%, preferably 4-10 wt.%, based on the total amount of the fatty acid chloride, and the amount of the fatty acid chloride containing saturated 8-10C acyl groups is >= 3 wt.%, preferably 5-8 wt.%, based on the total amount of the fatty acid chloride. R1 : optionally branched, saturated 6-30C acyl, preferably mono- or polyunsaturated 8-18C acyl and Q +> : Na +>or K +>. An independent claim is also included for a composition comprising (a) at least one of (I) (21-28 wt.%), (b) at least one chloride compound of formula (Q +>Cl ->) (>= 1wt.%), (c) at least one fatty acid salt of formula (R2-C(=O)-O ->) (Q +>) (= 3), (d) water, where the composition comprises no organic solvents. R2CO : R1.
