A method for neutralizing or inactivating a virus, and neutralizing or inactivating HIV using sophorolipids having antiviral properties produced by synthesizing the sophorolipid by fermentation of Candida bombicola in a fermentation media to form a natural mixture of lactonic sophorolipids compounds and non-lactonic sophorolipids compounds and utilizing the natural mixture as an antiviral agent, and/or separating the lactonic sophorolipids from the natural mixture to form a lactonic fraction and mixing all remaining fractions to form a non-lactonic fraction and utilizing the lactonic fraction and/or the non-lactonic fraction as an antiviral agent, and sophorolipid compounds for use as antiviral agents.
