Indigo production goes green: a review on opportunities and challenges of fermentative production.

ABSTRACT

Indigo is a widely used dye in various industries, such as textile, cosmetics, and food. However, traditional methods of indigo extraction and processing are associated with environmental and economic challenges. Fermentative production of indigo using microbial strains has emerged as a promising alternative that offers sustainability and cost-effectiveness. This review article provides a critical overview of microbial diversity, metabolic pathways, fermentation strategies, and genetic engineering approaches for fermentative indigo production. The advantages and limitations of different indigo production systems and a critique of the current understanding of indigo biosynthesis are discussed. Finally, the potential application of indigo in other sectors is also discussed. Overall, fermentative production of indigo offers a sustainable and bio-based alternative to synthetic methods and has the potential to contribute to the development of sustainable and circular biomanufacturing.