Engineered Microbes for Pigment Production Using Waste Biomass.
Zeba Usmani1, Minaxi Sharma1, Surya Sudheer1
11Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn12612, Estonia; 2ERA Chair for Food (By-) Products Valorization Technologies-VALORTECH, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 56/5, 51006, Tartu, Estonia; 3Department of Botany, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Lai 40, Tartu, Estonia.
Agri-food waste can be transformed into valuable microbial pigments using bioengineering. This approach supports a circular economy by valorizing waste into functional food ingredients.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Sustainable Chemistry
- Food Science
Background:
- Agri-food waste is abundant and rich in bioactive compounds.
- Valorizing waste supports zero-waste and circular economy goals.
- Microbial pigments offer potential for functional foods and value-added products.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review advancements in bioengineering for microbial pigment production.
- To explore the use of agri-food waste as a substrate for pigment synthesis.
- To highlight sustainable strategies for bioproduct development.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent bioengineering technologies.
- Focus on engineered microbial systems for enhanced pigment production.
- Utilisation of agri-food waste biomass and by-products as substrates.
Main Results:
- Engineered microbes can efficiently produce pigments from agri-food waste.
- Bioengineering enhances pigment yield and quality.
- Sustainable production pathways are being developed.
Conclusions:
- Agri-food waste presents a viable substrate for microbial pigment production.
- Bioengineering is key to optimizing pigment yield and sustainability.
- This valorisation strategy contributes to a circular bioeconomy.
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