Sustainable Production of Succinic Acid from Lignocellulosic Hydrolysate

Biosynthesis of succinic acid (SA) represents one of the largest sectors in industrial biotechnology for biochemical production. Currently, the markets for fossil-derived and bio-based SA are comparable in scale, with the bio-based segment expanding particularly rapidly. In response to the growing demand for sustainable and renewable production routes, diverse types of lignocellulosic biomass have been employed as feedstocks. This chapter provides an overview of the microorganisms commonly used in SA production, including native producers such as Actinobacillus succinogenes, Anaerobiospirillum succiniciproducens, Basfia succiniciproducens, Mannheimia succiniciproducens, as well as engineered producers like Corynebacterium glutamicum, Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Yarrowia lipolytica, Kluyveromyces marxianus, and Issatchenkia orientalis. Their production performance, including titer, yield, and productivity, on conventional substrates such as glucose and on mixed sugars derived from lignocellulosic biomass is reviewed. The chapter concludes with a discussion of future prospects, highlighting the importance of integrating designed enzymes, robust strains, and fermentation optimization for sustainable SA production.