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Current advances in biological production of propionic acid

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Abstract

Propionic acid and its derivatives are considered “Generally Recognized As Safe” food additives and are generally used as an anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory agent, herbicide, and artificial flavor in diverse industrial applications. It is produced via biological pathways using Propionibacterium and some anaerobic bacteria. However, its commercial chemical synthesis from the petroleum-based feedstock is the conventional production process bit results in some environmental issues. Novel biological approaches using microorganisms and renewable biomass have attracted considerable recent attention due to economic advantages as well as great adaptation with the green technology. This review provides a comprehensive overview of important biotechnological aspects of propionic acid production using recent technologies such as employment of co-culture, genetic and metabolic engineering, immobilization technique and efficient bioreactor systems.

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Acknowledgements

I. Es thanks the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) for the scholarship of (Grant No. 2015/14468-0). A. Mousavi Khaneghah thanks the support of CNPq-TWAS Postgraduate Fellowship (Grant #3240274290).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Material and Bioprocess Engineering, Faculty of Chemical Engineering, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil

    Ismail Eş

  2. Department of Food Science, Faculty of Food Engineering, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Rua Monteiro Lobato, 80, Caixa Postal: 6121, CEP: 13083-862, Campinas, SP, Brazil

    Amin Mousavi Khaneghah

  3. Department of Food Science and Technology, College of Agriculture, Fasa University, Fasa, Iran

    Seyed Mohammad Bagher Hashemi

  4. Sorbonne Universités, Université de Technologie de Compiègne, Laboratoire Transformations Intégrées de la Matière Renouvelable (UTC/ESCOMEA 4297 TIMR), Centre de Recherche de Royallieu, CS 60319, 60203, Compiègne Cedex, France

    Mohamed Koubaa

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  1. Ismail Eş
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  3. Seyed Mohammad Bagher Hashemi
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Correspondence to Amin Mousavi Khaneghah.

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Eş, I., Khaneghah, A.M., Hashemi, S.M.B. et al. Current advances in biological production of propionic acid. Biotechnol Lett 39, 635–645 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-017-2293-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-017-2293-6

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