Industrial Production of Succinic Acid Genetically Modified Bacteria

Filed in archive Corporate and Industrial News , Genomics, Proteomics and Bioinformatics , Microbiology on December 21, 2008

Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, Image# 674264

Roquette Frères has entered into an agreement to commercialize technologies by Rice University researchers, who genetically engineered E. coli bacteria to produce high yields of succinic acid through fermentation. The technology produces industrial quantities of succinic acid using the principles of "white biotechnology" i.e., production without the use of petroleum.

"In this process, we're close to the maximum theoretical yield of succinic acid from glucose," said San, who began talking with Roquette officials a few years ago.

The technique has a desirable carbon footprint since it captures carbon dioxide. "The process is actually carbon-negative," said San. "It uses about 0.75 molecules of carbon dioxide for every molecule of succinic acid it produces from glucose."

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A plant demo in France is planned towards the end of 2009 and the company expects to begin large-scale production by 2011.