Advances in glucosamine production from waste biomass and microbial fermentation technology and its applications

Glucosamine (Gln) is a universal amino sugar, present in animals, plants, and microbes as a major component of various structural polymers, i.e. chitin, chitosan, and peptidoglycans. Besides structural applications, several experimental and clinical trials have shown its tremendous applications in the health sector especially in the case of cancer, osteoarthritis (OA), allergy, and inflammation-associated complications. Wider and safer applications for Gln increased its volumetric demand and market share exponentially. Different methods of Gln production such as direct extraction from sea waste (chitin) and plants biomass have been reported. However, phytoextraction and chemical hydrolysis of chitinous wastes are suffered from limited yield and high production costs. In recent years, microbial/enzymatic hydrolysis has taken over the market due to economic and eco-friendly production. In addition, genetically modified bacterial fermentation is also under development stage. In this review, recent progress related to Gln production from different resources and its various applications is reviewed in detail.