Industrial Biotechnology of Vitamins, Biopigments, and Antioxidants

Vitamins are a group of physiologically very important, chemically quite complex organic compounds, that are essential for humans and animals. Some vitamins and other growth factors behave as antioxidants, while some can be considered as biopigments. As their chemical synthesis is laborious, their biotechnology-based synthesis and production via microbial fermentation has gained substantial interest within the last decades. Recent progress in microbial genetics and in metabolic engineering and implementation of innovative bioprocess technology has led to a biotechnology-based industrial production of many vitamins and related compounds. Divided into three sections, this volume covers: 1. water-soluble vitamins 2. fat-soluble vitamin compounds and 3. other growth factors, biopigments, and antioxidants. They are all reviewed systematically: from natural occurrence and assays, via biosynthesis, strain development, to industrially-employed biotechnological syntheses and applications.

Vitamins are a group of physiologically very important, chemically quite complex organic compounds, that are essential for humans and animals. Some vitamins and other growth factors behave as antioxidants, while some can be considered as biopigments. As their chemical synthesis is laborious, their biotechnology-based synthesis and production via microbial fermentation has gained substantial interest within the last decades. Recent progress in microbial genetics and in metabolic engineering and implementation of innovative bioprocess technology has led to a biotechnology-based industrial production of many vitamins and related compounds. Divided into three sections, this volume covers:1. water-soluble vitamins2. fat-soluble vitamin compounds and3. other growth factors, biopigments, and antioxidants.They are all reviewed systematically: from natural occurrence and assays, via biosynthesis, strain development, to industrially-employed biotechnological syntheses and applications.

PrefaceVitamins, Biopigments, Antioxidants and Related Compounds: A Historical, Physiological and (Bio)technological PerspectiveWATER SOLUBLE VITAMINSIndustrial Production of Vitamin B2 by Microbial FermentationVitamin B3 (Niacin)Pantothenic AcidFolate: Relevance of Chemical and Microbial ProductionVitamin B12 - Physiology, Production and ApplicationIndustrial Fermentation of Vitamin CDirect Microbial Routes to Vitamin C ProductionFAT SOLUBLE VITAMINSSynthesis of Beta-Carotene and Other Important Carotenoids with BacteriaBeta-Carotene and other Carotenoids and Pigments from MicroalgaeMicrobial Production of Vitamin F and other Polyunsaturated Fatty AcidsVitamin Q10: Property, Production and ApplicationPyrroloquinolin Quinone (PQQ)OTHER GROWTH FACTORS, BIOPIGMENTS, AND ANTIOXIDANTSL-Carnitine, the Vitamin BT: Uses and Production by the Secondary Metabolism of BacteriaApplication of Carnosine and its Functionalized DerivativesMetabolism and Biotechnological Production of Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA)Flavonoids: Functions, Metabolism and BiotechnologyMonascus PigmentsIndex