Agro-industrial residues in biotechnological production of xylitol

Abstract

Lignocellulosic residues, such as sugarcane bagasse, rice and oat straw and forest cuttings, are abundant and inexpensive sources of carbohydrates (cellulose and hemicellulose) with potential application in several conversion processes. Xylose, the predominant sugar in the hemicellulose fraction can be converted to xylitol. Xylitol is a polyol with some interesting properties that can make it an important product for the food and pharmaceutical industry. It is a compound with sweetness similar to that sucrose, is non-cariogenic, tolerated by diabetics and recommended for obese people. This polyol is currently produced by chemical catalysis of the xylose from lignocellulosic residues. However, this process needs expensive purification steps to obtain pure xylitol. Alternatively, it can be produced by biotechnological methods, using microorganisms, specially yeasts. These processes consist of hemicellulosic hydrolysate fermentation from agro-industrial residues, wich could compete with the traditional chemical method. The present work aims the accomplishment of a review about xylitol detaching the structural aspects, ways of attainment and applications; main hemicellulosic substrates used in its production; acid hydrolysis and treatment of the hemicellulosic hydrolysate for use as substrate to produce xylitol by microbial way.