Fast depleting natural resources are forcing researchers to identify
innovative methodologies and exploit renewable materials.
Efficient use of resources has become a top priority for sustainable
economies. Although biopolymer production methods have
been studied for many years, the possibility of dual production of
two similar or different products has been neglected. Throughout
the years only a few researchers have worked on dual production
involving biopolymers, some specifically aiming to develop a process
and some reporting observations while in pursuit of other
products, without prior design aimed at producing two products
from the same batch.
Designing a system for the production of multiple products
has great potential in lowering manufacturing costs and utilizing
raw materials more efficiently. Bioprocesses aiming for a
zero-waste policy within the bio-refinery concept, leading to a
stable, optimised dual production system, may present an industrial
advantage. Published studies emphasizing the potential and
value of double production are presented in this review. Exploiting
waste material or a by-product to promote dual production
processes is one of the main gaps in this field. Multiple product
systems have an added advantage towards minimizing waste and
maximizing profits. However, due to the natural limits in microorganisms’
ability to manipulate their metabolism in order to obtain
high yields of multiple products presents a major bottleneck for
these processes. Therefore, multiple product processes may require
tailor-made process designs along with a specific metabolic engineering
approach. This approach can also be combined with genetic
engineering strategies in order to extend and enhance production
potential. Overall, the few studies conducted within this field
indicate that, with dedicated research and an adequate level of
investment, multiple biopolymer production, via fermentation, can
form the next generation bioprocessing approach for future biorefineries.