Review article
Biotechnological Production of Vitamins
Shrikant A. Survase
; Food and Fermentation Technology Department, Institute of Chemical Technology, University of Mumbai, Matunga, Mumbai 400019, India
Ishwar B. Bajaj
; Food and Fermentation Technology Department, Institute of Chemical Technology, University of Mumbai, Matunga, Mumbai 400019, India
Rekha S. Singhal
; Food and Fermentation Technology Department, Institute of Chemical Technology, University of Mumbai, Matunga, Mumbai 400019, India
Abstract
Vitamins are defined as essential micronutrients that are required in trace quantity and cannot be synthesized by mammals. Apart from their in vivo nutritional and physiological roles as growth factors for men, animals, plants and microorganisms, vitamins are now being increasingly introduced as food/feed additives, as medical-therapeutic agents, as health aids, and also as technical aids. Production of vitamins by chemical synthesis, or extraction from their known sources has serious disadvantages. This led to an increased interest in substituting these processes with biotechnological processes. For several of these compounds microbiological and algal processes exist, or are rapidly emerging. Different methods like media optimization, mutation and screening, genetic engineering and biocatalyst conversion have been used for improvement of the production of vitamins. The survey describes the current state of vitamin production by biotechnological processes and their significance, as compared to the existing chemical processes.
Keywords
vitamins; fermentation; biotechnological production
Hrčak ID:
109918
URI
Publication date:
15.9.2006.
Visits: 21.219 *