5. Conclusion and outlook

Transglutaminase, due to its unique properties, is an enzyme widely used in many branches of the food industry. It has been generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by an independent group of scientific experts (FDA). The fact that it can be produced by biosynthesis, i.e., by microorganisms, has paved the way for wider and more practical application of this enzyme by lowering production costs. A mechanistic approach aims to identify promising new areas of use for transglutaminase that will lead to its safe use in the food industry. Although 30 years have passed since the discovery of microbial transglutaminase (in 1989) and with the current trend in genetic engineering, there is still a need to isolate new microorganisms and optimize growth media and fermentation procedures to obtain transglutaminases with higher activity. Biotechnological advances allow for the metabolic engineering of microorganisms...