Abstract

L-amino acids and nucleotides find various applications in food biotechnology. L-glutamic acid and its salts as well as 5’-nucleotides are used as flavor enhancers. Other L-amino acids are used as food or feed additives, in parenteral nutrition or as synthons for the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. L-amino acids and nucleotides are synthesized from precursors of central carbon metabolism. Based on the knowledge of the biochemical pathways microbial fermentation processes of food, feed and pharma amino acids and of nucleotides have been developed. Production strains of Corynebacterium glutamicum, which has been used safely for more than 50 years in food biotechnology, and Escherichia coli are constantly improved using metabolic engineering approaches. Research towards new processes is ongoing. Fermentative production of L-amino acids in the million-ton-scale has shaped modern biotechnology and its markets continue to grow steadily.