title: Fumaric acid production by fermentation.
abstract: The potential of fumaric acid as a raw material in the polymer industry and the increment of cost of petroleum-based fumaric acid raises interest in fermentation processes for production of this compound from renewable resources. Although the chemical process yields 112% w/w fumaric acid from maleic anhydride and the fermentation process yields only 85% w/w from glucose, the latter raw material is three times cheaper. Besides, the fermentation fixes CO2. Production of fumaric acid by Rhizopus species and the involved metabolic pathways are reviewed. Submerged fermentation systems coupled with product recovery techniques seem to have achieved economically attractive yields and productivities. Future prospects for improvement of fumaric acid production include metabolic engineering approaches to achieve low pH fermentations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, Julianalaan 67, 2628 BC, Delft, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Carol A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Roa Engel
authors.forename: Adrie J J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Straathof
authors.forename: Tiemen W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Zijlmans
authors.forename: Walter M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: van Gulik
authors.forename: Luuk A M
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: van der Wielen
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism; D005285:Fermentation; D005650:Fumarates / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D007218:Industrial Microbiology; D008298:Maleates / Q000378:metabolism; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005650:Fumarates; D008298:Maleates; C032005:fumaric acid; C030272:maleic acid; D010100:Oxygen