4. From test tube to industrial fermenter

4.1 Substitution of petrochemicals with renewable alternatives

The industrial transition from petrochemical production to more ecologically responsible production therefore presents two major challenges: to design efficient organisms and processes based on renewable carbon sources. The ultimate goal would be to replace all the molecules used today with non-polluting, biodegradable or recyclable alternatives. But given the number of materials and processes to be reinvented, it will initially be necessary to produce identical molecules from hydrocarbons or natural extracts as currently used by industry, so as not to completely call into question both upstream (production) and downstream (product or characterized functionality) simultaneously.

It now seems to...