Microbial and enzymatic methods for phenolic production

With growing concern over environmental issues, there has been an increasing need for green and sustainable alternatives to many well-established processes. In that context, the search for bio-based or natural starting materials has gained a lot of attention in the past few decades. One very promising option is phenolic compound directly obtained from ligno-cellulosic biomass. They can be either extracted directly, or obtained from the breakdown of lignin, an abundant polyphenol responsible for the structural integrity of all plants. After a brief introduction about basic concepts related to phenolic compounds, this chapter presents different techniques recently employed for the direct extraction of phenolic compounds from ligno-cellulosic biomass, followed by a deeper review of the microbial production of phenolic compounds obtained primarily from the fermentation of biomass in the presence of fungi and bacteria. The last section of this chapter discusses the latest advancements in the enzymatic production of phenolic compounds in approaches suitable for biorefineries. Finally, a conclusion is provided, highlighting the importance of phenolic compounds for a sustainable future.