Microbial Pigments Production from Agro-Industrial Waste

The agro-industrial processing and post-harvesting downstream products generate massive volumes of waste which, if disposed and released unprocessed, can cause environmental pollution. Due to their rich chemi- cal composition, these residues could be implemented as fermentative substrates for obtaining value-added products. Among these, natural microbial pigments are gaining more attraction as alternatives to synthetic ones, with their production considered eco-friendly and bio- compatible. Agro-industrial waste-based bio-refineries to produce microbial pigments can represent a suitable approach for both the reduction of environmental pol- lution, as well as for providing a sustainable frame- work for addressing bioeconomy. This chapter aims to give an overview of the main microorganisms used for agro-industrial waste valorization for pigment produc- tion through a biotechnological process from a circular economy point of view. Moreover, the main drawbacks of the implementation of these residues are discussed.