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Volume 27
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10.3390/ijms27010306
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Review

Advances in Biotechnological GABA Production: Exploring Microbial Diversity, Novel Food Substrates, and Emerging Market Opportunities

by
Fabian Hernandez-Tenorio
1,
Mateo Mejía-Rúa
1,
Luz Deisy Marín-Palacio
1,
Bernadette Klotz-Ceberio
2,
David Orrego
2 and
Catalina Giraldo-Estrada
1,*
1
Escuela de Ciencias Aplicadas e Ingeniería, Universidad EAFIT, Medellín 050022, Colombia
2
Alpina Productos Alimenticios S.A.S. BIC, Sopó 251001, Colombia
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(1), 306; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27010306 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 24 November 2025 / Revised: 23 December 2025 / Accepted: 24 December 2025 / Published: 27 December 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 25th Anniversary of IJMS: Updates and Advances in Molecular Microbiology)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a non-protein amino acid distributed in nature by different types of organisms and microorganisms. GABA has been widely studied for its different physiological functions and industrial applications. Its production is mainly carried out through fermentation processes using lactic acid bacteria (LAB), which are of particular interest because they are safe and possess high glutamate decarboxylase enzyme activity. However, GABA production can vary among different LAB species and is affected by culture conditions. Therefore, strain development and selection, as well as optimization of fermentation parameters, are essential to increase GABA yields and meet the needs of industrial demand. This review quantitatively analyzes recent advances in fermentative GABA production, showing a sustained increase in publications and a predominance of chromatography-based quantification methods (approximately 68%), mainly using pre-column derivatization. Optimized fermentation strategies, supported by statistical and artificial intelligence models, have achieved GABA concentrations of up to 90 mM. In parallel, in silico genomic and metabolic analyses revealed the widespread distribution of key GABA biosynthesis and transport genes among LAB, supporting their selection and engineering. Overall, the integration of advanced analytical methods, bioinformatics-guided strain selection, and computational process optimization emerges as a key strategy to enhance GABA productivity and support future industrial-scale applications.
Keywords: lactic acid bacteria; gamma-aminobutyric acid; fermentation; Lactobacillus; bibliometric analysis lactic acid bacteria; gamma-aminobutyric acid; fermentation; Lactobacillus; bibliometric analysis

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MDPI and ACS Style

Hernandez-Tenorio, F.; Mejía-Rúa, M.; Marín-Palacio, L.D.; Klotz-Ceberio, B.; Orrego, D.; Giraldo-Estrada, C. Advances in Biotechnological GABA Production: Exploring Microbial Diversity, Novel Food Substrates, and Emerging Market Opportunities. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27, 306. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27010306

AMA Style

Hernandez-Tenorio F, Mejía-Rúa M, Marín-Palacio LD, Klotz-Ceberio B, Orrego D, Giraldo-Estrada C. Advances in Biotechnological GABA Production: Exploring Microbial Diversity, Novel Food Substrates, and Emerging Market Opportunities. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2026; 27(1):306. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27010306

Chicago/Turabian Style

Hernandez-Tenorio, Fabian, Mateo Mejía-Rúa, Luz Deisy Marín-Palacio, Bernadette Klotz-Ceberio, David Orrego, and Catalina Giraldo-Estrada. 2026. "Advances in Biotechnological GABA Production: Exploring Microbial Diversity, Novel Food Substrates, and Emerging Market Opportunities" International Journal of Molecular Sciences 27, no. 1: 306. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27010306

APA Style

Hernandez-Tenorio, F., Mejía-Rúa, M., Marín-Palacio, L. D., Klotz-Ceberio, B., Orrego, D., & Giraldo-Estrada, C. (2026). Advances in Biotechnological GABA Production: Exploring Microbial Diversity, Novel Food Substrates, and Emerging Market Opportunities. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 27(1), 306. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27010306

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