Wine industry residues

Abstract

The wine industry produces a substantial quantity of organic residues that are both highly polluting and costly to treat. These residues are mainly carbohydrate-rich organics such as sugars and cellulose, which are biodegradable and naturally rich in nutrients, making them suitable substrates for biotechnological production. This chapter briefly introduces potential utilization of winery residues for production of bioenergy and biomaterials through bioconversion processes. We highlight advanced molecular biotechnology for strain development and integrated biotechnological processes, which can lead the bioconversion of winery residues into renewable bioenergy and biomaterials as a sustainable solution. © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2009.