Biotechnological production of pyruvic acid

Pyruvic acid is an important organic acid widely used in the chemical and drug, as well as agrochemical, industries. Compared with the chemical method, biotechnological production of pyruvic acid is an alternative approach because of the low cost. An overview of biotechnological production of pyruvate, including direct fermentative production employing eukaryotic and prokaryotic microorganisms, production by a resting cell method and an enzymatic method as well as the recovery of pyruvate, is discussed. A multi-vitamin auxotrophic yeast strain, Torulopsis glabrata, has been used in the commercial production of pyruvate; emphasis is therefore placed on the mechanism and characteristics of pyruvate production by this strain.