Biotechnological Production of Organic Acids

Biotechnological production of organic acids harnesses the metabolic capacities of microorganisms to convert renewable substrates into high‐value chemicals. Central to this endeavour are fermentation and whole‐cell catalysis processes that steer carbon flux towards target acids such as gluconic, citric, succinic and xylonic acids. Advances in strain selection, metabolic engineering and bioprocess optimisation have elevated titers, yields and productivities to levels comparable with traditional chemical synthesis. Key strategies include the use of engineered bacteria and fungi, the development of robust bioreactor designs for optimised oxygen transfer and mixing, and the integration of pre‐treatment of lignocellulosic feedstocks to overcome inhibitor effects. These approaches underpin sustainable routes to platform chemicals, offering reduced energy consumption, lower greenhouse‐gas emissions and the valorisation of agro‐industrial residues. The global significance of this field spans the food, pharmaceutical, construction and polymer industries, with an increasingly circular economy perspective driving innovation in both academic and industrial settings.

Research from Nature Portfolio

No recent Nature Portfolio content available.

Biotechnological Production of Organic Acids publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in biotechnological production of organic acids across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Fermentation: The enzymatic conversion of sugars or other substrates by microorganisms under controlled conditions to produce desired metabolites.

Bioreactor: A vessel designed to provide optimal environmental conditions for microbial growth and product formation, including temperature, pH and aeration control.

Yield: The mass of product formed per unit mass of substrate consumed, expressed as g product g⁻¹ substrate.

Volumetric productivity: The rate of product formation per unit reactor volume per unit time, expressed as g L⁻¹ h⁻¹.

Metabolic engineering: The targeted modification of cellular pathways through genetic or process interventions to optimise the synthesis of specific compounds.

Lignocellulosic hydrolysate: A complex mixture of sugars and inhibitory compounds derived from the pretreatment and hydrolysis of plant biomass, used as feedstock in bioprocesses.

References

1. Co-production of Gluconic Acid and Fructo-oligosaccharides by Aureobasidium pullulans from Sugarcane Molasses: Effect of Oxygen Transfer Rate in Stirred Tank and Airlift Bioreactors. Food and Bioprocess Technology (2023).
2. Production of Gluconic Acid and Its Derivatives by Microbial Fermentation: Process Improvement Based on Integrated Routes. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology (2022).
3. Overexpression of mGDH in Gluconobacter oxydans to improve d-xylonic acid production from corn stover hydrolysate. Microbial Cell Factories (2022).