Scaling up xylitol bioproduction: Challenges to achieve a profitable bioprocess

Xylitol is a GRAS ( Generally Recognized as Safe ) polyol commonly used in the food industry and able to promote several benefits health. In addition, it can also be building block molecule for manufacture of different high-value chemicals. Currently, commercial production xylitol occurs by chemical route through catalytic hydrogenation xylose from lignocellulosic biomass. Since this an expensive process due severe reactional conditions employed, biotechnological production, which comprises biological conversion into xylitol, emerges potential lower-cost alternative obtain milder required. However, still presents important bottlenecks challenges that impairs scaling up. Modern strategies technologies potentially improve bioproduction include adaptive evolution microbial strains enhance their tolerance inhibitors uptake rate during fermentation step; development engineered microorganisms result higher xylose-to-xylitol bioconversion yields; well purification techniques recovery yields. Moreover, techno-economic analysis overall chain essential identify viability large-scale implementation steps requiring improvements. These are some key factors discussed review, aims provide insights more economically competitive, less energy demanding scalable new technology production. • requires than its Main discussed. Strain improvement better bioconversion. Techno-economic indicate cost-efficient