Long alkyl chains (C-12) have been introduced onto glucuronoxylan and its sulfoethyl derivative via O-alkylation using 1-bromododecane in dimethylsulfoxide. The new amphiphilic xylan derivatives were characterized by chemical, elemental, and spectral analyses. They reduce the surface tension and exhibit remarkable emulsifying and protein foam-stabilizing properties. The results indicate that the development of new biopolymeric surfactants may be based on heteroxylans that are abundant in hardwoods and annual plants, and represent an unexploited renewable polysaccharide resource.