Biotechnological production of pyruvic acid

Pyruvic acid is an important organic acid widely used in the chemical and d rug, as well as agrochemical, industries. Compared with the chemical method , biotechnological production of pyruvic acid is an alternative approach be cause of the low cost. An overview of biotechnological production of pyruva te, including direct fermentative production employing eukaryotic and proka ryotic 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 commerc ial production of pyruvate; emphasis is therefore placed on the mechanism a nd characteristics of pyruvate production by this strain.