Jungbunzlauer partnership optimizes citric acid production by evolving fungal strains

Sustainable natural ingredients specialist Jungbunzlauer is collaborating with the Technical University of Vienna (TU Wien), Austria, to support research optimizing citric acid production by refining fungal strains at the newly-opened Christian Doppler (CD) Laboratory.

Citric acid is a versatile bio-ingredient used in industries ranging from food and beverages to pharmaceuticals and nutritional supplements.

“The process of converting sugars into citric acid is biologically complex and involves specific genetic and biochemical pathways in the fungus,” says professor Matthias Steiger, head of the CD Laboratory.

“Our goal is to gain a detailed understanding of these processes to enrich naturally efficient fungal strains, maintaining high production standards for the food sector. We are grateful to the team at Jungbunzlauer for supporting this research.”

Evolving fungal strains

The research focuses on selecting and enriching fungal strains that naturally evolve toward greater efficiency under controlled laboratory conditions, offering significant improvements in citric acid yield and sustainability.

“We are very pleased to support this important research. At Jungbunzlauer, sustainability is at the heart of what we do,” says Anne Wagner, Junbunzlauer’s VP of research, development and innovation.

“By partnering with TU Wien and supporting this innovative research, we aim to improve production processes in a way that aligns with our commitment to environmental responsibility.”

The CD Laboratory employs advanced molecular analysis and selection techniques to identify key genetic factors and environmental conditions that optimize the fungus’s ability to produce citric acid. 

Novel methods for in vivo mRNA measurement are also being developed to measure the spatial distribution of mRNA relevant to citric acid production, further refining the strain selection process.

In a recent Nutrition Insight webinar, Jungbunzlauer highlighted its research in xanthan gum as a key ingredient in gluten-free formulations, aiming to provide solutions that yield a stable and palatable product.