Synthetic petroleum-based polymers and natural plant polymers have the disadvantage of restricted sources, in addition to the non-biodegradability of the former ones. In contrast, eco-sustainable microbial polysaccharides, of low-cost and standardized production, represent an alternative to address this situation. With a strong global market, they attracted worldwide attention because of their ...

Exopolysaccharides produced by a variety of microorganisms find multifarious industrial applications in foods, pharmaceutical and other industries as emulsifiers, stabilizers, binders, gelling agents, lubricants, and thickening agents. One such exopolysaccharide is scleroglucan, produced by pure culture fermentation from filamentous fungi of genus Sclerotium. The review discusses the properties...

Biotechnology is important solution to many synthesis issues. It offers less energy intensive, economical and easy solution to synthesis of many chemicals. The choice of substrate, enzyme and reaction conditions needs careful study. Ethanol, citric acid, lactic acid, amino acids, proteins and many other compounds are produced by biochemical pathways. It is said that 80 percent of the process co...