International research on the production of pyruvate by fermentation began in 1950. Compared with the chemical synthesis method, the fermentation method has many advantages such as low raw material cost, wide sources, high product purity, and mild reaction conditions. It is a process route with great market competitiveness and good development prospects. Although research on the production of pyruvate by fermentation has been conducted for more than 40 years, the industrialization history has not exceeded 10 years. The realization of industrialization of fermentation method to produce pyruvate is another example of Japanese biotechnology progress. Although Japanese scientists have done a lot of fruitful work on the screening and fermentation conditions of high-producing bacteria for pyruvate, there are few reports on optimizing the fermentation production process of pyruvate from a biochemical engineering perspective, and the latter is to ensure the production potential of excellent strains. necessary conditions for maximum performance. Our country should vigorously develop its own pyruvate fermentation production technology and realize the industrialization of fermentation production of pyruvate as soon as possible.
The School of Bioengineering of Jiangnan University in China undertook Jiangsu Province’s “Ninth Five-Year Plan” industrial major scientific and technological project “Pilot Test for Producing Pyruvate by Fermentation” to conduct research on the glucose fermentation method, with an acid production rate of 7.7%. The glucose conversion rate is about 70%, which has reached the advanced level abroad. And based on comprehensive research on pyruvate extraction at home and abroad, we independently developed a technology patent for extracting pyruvate from fermentation broth. At present, this method has not yet been industrialized, but it has the advantages of less pollution and high product quality. It is a process route with great development prospects.
There are nearly 10 major domestic manufacturers of pyruvic acid and its salts and esters, with an annual production capacity of only about 1,000t, and most of them use backward tartaric acid synthesis technology, causing serious environmental pollution and high production costs. High, facing the risk of elimination. In terms of the production of pyruvate by fermentation, currently only Jiangsu Changzhou Changmao Biochemical Co., Ltd. in my country is conducting small-scale production using pilot equipment, and there is no industrialization of fermentation for the production of pyruvate. Since the production process of pyruvic acid by fermentation is similar to that of other organic acids and amino acids, organic acid and helium acid plants can be put into production with appropriate equipment modifications, and the equipment investment is very small. Based on economic calculation based on 5% pyruvate output, 40% sugar-acid conversion rate, and 80% total extraction yield, the production cost (raw materials, water, electricity, steam, labor) per ton of pyruvate is 45,000 to 55,000 yuan. A pyruvic acid fermentation workshop with an annual output of 250t can generate annual sales revenue of 25 million yuan, and the economic benefits are very significant. In addition, if my country's fermentation method produces pyruvate to meet the needs of the domestic market, it can also save a lot of foreign exchange for the country, which will have obvious social benefits.