Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 9, 2026

Techniques for the Evolution of Robust Pentose-fermenting Yeast for Bioconversion of Lignocellulose to Ethanol
Published on: October 24, 2016
Lactic acid fermentation using Rhizopus spp.: current insights and future prospects
Mst Mahmoda Akter1,2, Marium Akter Jim3, Brandon Gilroyed4,5
1School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus, 120 Main Street East, Ridgetown, ON, N0P 2C0, Canada.
None:
Lactic acid (LA) is a versatile organic acid widely used in food, chemical, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics industries. Its demand has significantly increased due to its role in producing biodegradable and biocompatible polylactic acid (PLA) polymers. Fungal species from the Rhizopus genus offer several advantages over bacteria when producing lactic acid through fermentation of renewable substrates, including amylolytic capabilities, minimal nutrient requirements, and valuable fungal biomass as a by-product. This review highlights recent advancements in the metabolic and enzymatic pathways, fermentation substrates, modes, and methods utilized in LA production by Rhizopus species. It explores critical bioprocess parameters such as nutrient composition, pH, and fungal morphology, which are examined for their roles in optimizing production. Furthermore, developments in high cell-density fermentation and improved downstream processes for lactic acid recovery and purification are discussed. The challenges and opportunities for scaling up LA production from various substrates are critically analyzed, along with future strategies for improving fungal fermentation systems. Finally, the techno-economic feasibility of fungal-based LA production is also discussed.
Related Concept Videos
Fungal Group Zygomycota
Microbial Fermentation
Fates of Pyruvate
In aerobic organisms, pyruvate is metabolized via the citric acid cycle to produce reduced coenzymes NADH and FADH2. These coenzymes are then oxidized in the electron transport chain to produce ATP and, in the process, regenerate the NAD+ and FAD. As seen in some cell types and organisms, fermentation...
Overview of Fungi
Fermentation
Fermentation is a type of metabolic process that occurs in the absence of oxygen, where organic molecules such as glucose are broken down to produce energy. During this process, the...
Microorganisms in Agriculture and Food industry

