The Role of Lactic Acid Bacteria in Bioplastic ProductionUsing Low-Cost Substrate
PHA production by LAB
Keywords:
Food waste, , Agricultural waste, Fermentation, Polyhydroxyalkanoates, Polyl-actic acid, BiodegradableAbstract
Plastic pollution poses a serious threat to the environment because it is nonbiodegradable. This issue has led many stakeholders to explore legal and technical solutions for creating valuable biodegradable plastics. Today, microorganisms have become promising sources for producing bioplastics, which have various uses, including packaging and other applications. Furthermore, the ongoing increase in food and agricultural waste, along with its management strategies, has attracted global attention due to its significant environmental impacts on air, soil, and water contamination. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are well-studied for producing two common bioplastics, polylactic acid (PLA) and polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), using food and agricultural waste. This review focuses on producing PHA and PLA from low-cost substrates with LAB. It highlights the types of PLA and PHA made by LAB and their applications. After briefly explaining what LAB strains can produce bioplastics, the biosynthesis of PLA and PHA by LAB is described. The review also explains the definitions and pretreatment methods of cheap substrates for bioplastic production. Finally, it discusses factors that influence the bioplastic production process. Overall, efficient methods for turning waste into bioplastics with LAB offer a promising step toward sustainable waste management and reducing the harm caused by traditional plastics.
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