Xylooligosaccharides (XOS) are nondigestible compounds of great interest for food and pharmaceutical industries due to their beneficial prebiotic, antibacterial, antioxidant, and antitumor properties. The market size of XOS is increasing significantly, which makes its production from lignocellulosic biomass an interesting approach to the valorization of the hemicellulose fraction of biomass, which is currently underused. This review comprehensively discusses XOS production from lignocellulosic biomass, aiming at its application in integrated biorefineries. A bibliometric analysis is carried out highlighting the main players in the field. XOS production yields after different biomass pretreatment methods are critically discussed using Microsoft PowerBI^® (2.92.706.0) software, which involves screening important trends for decision-making. Enzymatic hydrolysis and the major XOS purification strategies are also explored. Finally, the integration of XOS production into biorefineries, with special attention to economic and environmental aspects, is assessed, providing important information for the implementation of biorefineries containing XOS in their portfolio.

Fructooligosaccharides (FOSs) are carbohydrates of high nutritional value with various prebiotic properties. Optimizing their production process is of significant interest for expanding commercial-scale production. This review discusses the properties and potential applications of FOSs, addressing production challenges and providing an economic market analysis. Bibliometric analysis of data concerning the functional properties, production, purification, and applications of FOSs revealed an over 87% increase in the number of worldwide publications from 2012 to 2022, rising from 88 to 165. Furthermore, contributions from ninety-three countries were identified up to 2024, with Brazil ranking first, with 326 publications. Furthermore, Aureobasidium sp. and Aspergillus sp. have shown the best results for FOS production, with reported conversion in the order of 0.66 g FOS/g sucrose. Nevertheless, the formation of by-products or co-products requiring separation from the medium remains a challenge. Activated carbon, cation exchange resins, and zeolites are highlighted as key adsorbents, with the adsorption process achieving FOS purity exceeding 90%. Furthermore, membrane technology is identified as a more efficient and promising separation method. Addressing these limitations will facilitate the further expansion of the growing global FOS market, promoting a sustainable approach and their integration with biorefineries, which can enable the development of a wider range of value-added products.

Succinic acid is an essential component of the chemical industry. Traditionally produced from fossil resources, its sustainable production using renewable resources faces challenges due to the complexities of cultivation and purification. This study assessed the environmental impacts of succinic acid production from sugarcane through a life cycle analysis and compared it with three other scenarios: using sorghum, apple pomace, and the traditional chemical route. Employing the ReCiPe midpoint methodology with a cradle-to-gate approach, the analysis highlighted significant environmental impacts linked to the agricultural stage in the sugarcane process. The use of pesticides, fertilizers, and energy demand resulted in elevated impacts compared to other stages of the process. The other scenarios also presented strong contributions in the purification stages. The production from sugarcane proved advantageous compared to other scenarios, minimizing impacts in 6 out of 10 categories. It is evident that the selection of the correct biomass is crucial for process sustainability, and the use of second-generation inputs can help reduce impacts in the agricultural stage. However, advancements in the fermentation stage are necessary, along with a reduction in the complexity of the purification steps. This study emphasizes the potential of renewable succinic acid production from sugarcane juice in the Brazilian scenario. Utilizing this process could reduce succinic acid’s environmental impacts by 70% to 99% compared to the petrochemical route. The process should be considered as a sustainable alternative to be included in the portfolio of biorefineries, enhancing factory profitability.