Bacteria as promising biofactory for pigment production: A prospective insights into production strategies and industrial applications

Abstract

The pigments are the coloured substances obtained from various organic and inorganic sources. Due to the negative impact of chemically synthesized dyes and pigments, there is a significant demand for microbially derived natural colourants. Microorganisms secrete pigments as their secondary metabolites. Microbial pigments are found as an alternative to synthetic pigments as they are produced significantly in higher quantities through biotechnological processes. Microbial pigments replaced by artificial colourants are easily decomposable and do not cause hazardous effects on the ecosystem. Different microbes like bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes could be exploited in pigment production. Despite varied groups of microorganisms acting as a source of pigment, bacteria are predominant source for pigment production because of their genetic simplicity. Moreover, bacterial pigments are recognized for their biological activities which accomplish their usage as colourants and therapeutics in various industries. Regarding bacterial pigment production, fermentation strategies are essential to overcome the market demand, which is applied in the pharmaceutical, chemical and food industries. The importance of bacterial pigments over synthetic pigments in various industrial applications and their production strategies is well narrated in this review.