Organisms as Producers: Production of Value-Added Compounds Using Microorganisms, Algae and Plant Cells

Abstract

One aspect of bioeconomy is the use of biological resources such as plants, animals and microorganisms to produce value-added compounds and active ingredients. Thus, this biomass not only serves as fodder and foodstuff and as a source of energy, but also as a supplier of important bio-based industrial products such as specialty chemicals, bio-based plastics, surfactants, colorant or pharmaceuticals. Furthermore, individual biological systems such as animal or microbial cells and even plants can be optimized or genetically modified to produce proteins, oils or metabolites for different industrial applications. In this chapter, the efficiency of biological production systems is illustrated by means of three examples: the production of a dietary protein in genetically modified bacteria, the preparation of plant stem cells for the cosmetic industry and the production of proteins and valuable lipid fractions such as carotenoids from microalgae. These three scenarios demonstrate the efficiency of biological systems in general. This approach can be applied to a variety of other classes of products, placing biological production at the heart of bioeconomy.