• Microbe: Corynebacterium glutamicum

  Gram-positive, rod-shaped bacterium

  Originally isolated from soil; now engineered strains are fermentation workhorses

• Key Mechanism:

  Under biotin-limited or cell wall-weakening conditions, the cells leak glutamic acid into the medium

  Metabolic overflow due to excess carbon leads to overproduction of alpha-ketoglutarate → glutamate

• Substrates Used: Molasses, glucose, ammonium salts for nitrogen

• Fermentation Process:

  Aerobic fed-batch fermentation

  Temp: ~30°C

  pH: 7.0–7.2

  Oxygenation is critical – limits favor glutamate excretion

• Downstream Processing:

  Glutamic acid is crystallized from the broth

  Neutralized to form monosodium glutamate (MSG)

• Applications:

  • Food industry: MSG as a flavor enhancer (umami)

  • Animal feed: Protein supplement

  • Pharmaceuticals: Precursor for other amino acids and neurotransmitter studies

Ref: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4147103/

Ref: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/glutamic-acid-market-A15523

    •    Economic Value / Main Application:

Amylases are extensively used in the food industry for processes like starch liquefaction and saccharification, which are vital in brewing, baking, and syrup production. They also find applications in detergents and textile processing.

    •    Production Microbe:

Bacillus subtilis is a prominent producer of amylase, known for its efficiency in enzyme production.

    •    Fermentation Technology:

Both solid-state fermentation (SSF) and submerged fermentation (SmF) are employed for amylase production. SSF utilizes agro-industrial residues like wheat bran, offering a cost-effective approach, while SmF allows for controlled conditions and scalability.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1018364719318774

    •    Economic Value / Main Application:

Proteases are crucial in the detergent industry for stain removal, in leather processing, meat tenderization, and in pharmaceuticals for wound debridement therapies.

    •    Production Microbe:

Bacillus licheniformis is widely recognized for its ability to produce alkaline proteases, making it a staple in industrial enzyme production.

https://microbialcellfactories.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12934-020-01307-2

    •    Fermentation Technology:

Submerged fermentation (SmF) is commonly used, with optimization of parameters like pH, temperature, and nutrient concentrations to enhance yield. Advanced techniques like fed-batch fermentation have also been employed to increase protease production.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589014X25000210

    •    Economic Value / Main Application:

Lipases are utilized in the dairy industry for flavor development in cheeses, in biodiesel production through transesterification processes, in detergents, and in the pharmaceutical industry for drug synthesis.

    •    Production Microbe:

Candida rugosa is a yeast known for its high lipase production, making it valuable for various industrial applications.

https://ijret.org/volumes/2012v01/i04/IJRET20120104008.pdf

    •    Fermentation Technology:

Both solid-state fermentation (SSF) and submerged fermentation (SmF) are used. SSF often employs substrates like groundnut oil cake, while SmF allows for precise control over fermentation parameters.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589014X25000210

Economics value / Main Application:

SCP is used as a high-protein ingredient in animal feed and, increasingly, as a human food supplement. It addresses protein shortages and reduces reliance on traditional agricultural protein sources, with significant market value in livestock, aquaculture, and pet food industries. It can be produced at $1.5-$3 per kg, depending on the production scale and feedstock.

Production Microbe:

Common microbes include Yeast, Fungi, Bacteria, and Microalgae

Fermentation Technology:

SCP is produced via submerged fermentation in bioreactors, which allows for controlled, large-scale, and rapid biomass production. The process can use various substrates, including agricultural and food industry wastes, making it economically and environmentally attractive

https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/36511/microbial-biomass-as-a-sustainable-source-of-nutritional-and-environmental-benefits/magazine

• Microbe: Saccharomyces cerevisiae (baker's yeast)

  Naturally evolved to ferment sugars anaerobically (even when oxygen is available—called the Crabtree effect)

  Tolerates up to 12–15% ethanol, beyond which it gets drunk and stops working

• Substrates Used:

  Molasses, corn starch, sugarcane juice, cellulosic biomass (in advanced bioethanol)

• Fermentation Process: Anaerobic batch fermentation

• Key reaction:

  • Glucose → 2 Ethanol + 2 CO₂ + energy

  • pH: 4.0–4.5

  • Temp: ~30°C

  • Oxygen is limited to push the pathway toward ethanol (not biomass)

• Downstream Processing:

  Ethanol is distilled and dehydrated to ~99.5% purity for fuel-grade ethanol

• Economic & Environmental Value:

  • Biofuel: Renewable substitute for petrol (e.g., E10 = 10% ethanol blend)

  • Carbon-neutral (in theory): CO₂ released = CO₂ absorbed by plants used for biomass

Ref: https://afdc.energy.gov/fuels/ethanol-production

**The global botulinum toxin market was valued at USD 11.1 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach USD 21.1 billion by 2030, driven by its applications in cosmetic and therapeutic treatments.

Reference:

https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/botulinum-toxin-market

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9029357/

Production Microbes:

Bacteria such as Cupriavidus necator and Pseudomonas putida are commonly used for PHA production.

Fermentation Technology:

PHAs are typically produced using aerobic fermentation in bioreactors. The process often employs renewable feedstocks and can be integrated into biorefinery systems for circular bioeconomy applications.

https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/27319/the-value-of-microbial-bioreactors-to-meet-challenges-in-the-circular-bioeconomy/magazine

-polyketide antibiotics produced by Streptomyces genus of Actinobacteria

-global market size: around USD 36.23 billion in 2024, projected to reach USD 44.14 billion by 2032

-main applications: bacterial infection treatment in human or animal (exp: acnes, skin infection, eye infection...)

-fermentation technology: submerged fermentation in liquid nutrient media containing carbon and nitrogen sources, inorganic nutrient salts under aerobic condition, followed by isolation of Tetracycline from the fermented broth.

References:

https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Tetracycline

https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-tetracyclines-market

https://patents.google.com/patent/US3429781A/en

• Production Microbes: Genetically engineered microorganisms like Aspergillus niger and Kluyveromyces lactis are utilized for chymosin production.

• Fermentation Technology: Submerged liquid fermentation is commonly used for producing recombinant chymosin.

• Economic Value: The global fermented chymosin market was valued at USD 4.27 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 6.12 billion by 2032.

•Economic Value / Main Application

It is used to treat growth hormone deficiency in children and adults, as well as Turner syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome and other disorders

As of 2023 the global market value for recombinant human growth hormone was estimated at USD 6.32 billion, with a strong growth forecast due to increasing demand for both medical and performance-enhancing purposes.

•Production Microbe

The most common is the genetically engineered Escherichia coli (E. coli)

By containing the human hGH gene which allows it to produce the hormone efficiently in large quantities

•Fermentation tech

Usually done by using the fed batch bioreactor where nutrients are gradually added to keep the bacterial cells growing and producing hGH

It first expresses the hGH as inclusion bodies

Then The cells are harvested, and the inclusion bodies are isolated, solubilized, and refolded into functional hGH.

The protein is then p

urified to use

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/recombinant-growth-hormone

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3685787/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780750615136500123?utm_source

https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-fermented-chymosin-market?srsltid=AfmBOoq5ATdAxnWZIHX0MAKLwZX5ZDdOFwD_Zp4WODUgoUet-3H9N5IW&utm_source

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/1475-2859-5-S1-S31?utm_source

Production Microbes:

Microalgae (Schizochytrium, Crypthecodinium cohnii) and certain fungi (Mortierella alpina) are the main producers of microbial omega-3s.

Fermentation Technology:

Large-scale submerged fermentation in closed bioreactors is used, ensuring high yields and purity. The process is independent of geographic and climatic conditions, allowing for consistent production.

https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/27319/the-value-of-microbial-bioreactors-to-meet-challenges-in-the-circular-bioeconomy/magazine

Application:

broad-spectrum antibiotic effective against many bacterial infections

Penicillin production mainly consists of three steps:

1.Inoculum preparation

Inoculum: Penicillium chrysogenum.

2.Production fermentation

Method: fed batch

Media: (Jackson 1958)

Corn steep liquor solids-3.5%

Lactose: 3.5%

Cellulose: 1%

CaCO3: 1%

K2HPO4: 0.4%

3.Product recovery

filtration

https://microbiologynotes.org/penicillin-history-structure-production-and-recovery/?noamp=available

• Economic value/ main application

  Caffeine is most commonly used for use mental alertness, headaches, migraines athletic performance, memory, and obesity.

  WebMD (2017). Caffeine: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Dosage, and Warning. [online] Webmd.com. Available at: https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-979/caffeine.

• Some elements of coffee’s economic impact include, Trade and import, Storage and transport, including shipping and trucking

  Roasting and packaging.

  National Coffee Association USA (2022). The Economic Impact of the Coffee Industry. [online] www.ncausa.org. Available at: https://www.ncausa.org/Research-Trends/Economic-Impact.

• Production microbe

  Yeasts, such as Hanseniaspora uvarum and Pichia kudriavzevii, dominate the early to mid-stages, break down sugars Lactic acid bacteria, such as Leuconostoc mesenteroides and Lactobacillus plantarum, appear in the mid-to-late stages of fermentation.

  Wettstadt, S. (2025). Microbes as artisans for making your perfect cup of coffee. [online] FEMS. Available at: https://fems-microbiology.org/femsmicroblog-microbes-as-artisans-for-making-your-perfect-cup-of-coffee/.

• Fermentation technology

  Natural/Dry fermentation.