Tryptophan (L-tryptophan) has broad application prospects and a large number of domestic and foreign companies.

Tryptophan, also known as L-tryptophan and β-indolylalanine, is an organic compound with the chemical formula C11H12N2O2. It appears as a white crystalline powder, odorless, slightly bitter in taste, and slightly soluble in water. , soluble in dilute acid or alkali, but insoluble in ethanol. Tryptophan is one of the essential amino acids for the human body and can be widely used in medicine, health products, food, feed and other fields.

With the continuous advancement of research, tryptophan production methods have been continuously enriched. In the early days, chemical synthesis and protein hydrolysis were the main methods. Later, with the emergence of microbial methods and continuous improvement of processes, they gradually became the mainstream method of tryptophan production. The production of tryptophan by microbial methods mainly includes three categories: precursor fermentation method, enzymatic method and direct fermentation method. Among them, the direct fermentation method refers to the method of using glucose and sugarcane molasses as carbon sources to produce tryptophan through bacterial fermentation. It is the main method for industrial production of tryptophan.

Tryptophan has a wide range of applications. In the feed field, tryptophan can be used as a feed additive to participate in fat metabolism in animals and improve animal growth efficiency. In the food field, tryptophan can be used as a food additive in dairy products, meat, etc. The manufacturing scene of finished products and baked goods plays a role in supplementing essential amino acids for the human body and accelerating the decomposition of human protein. Currently, against the background of the increasing number of cattle and sheep and other livestock and the increasing health awareness of consumers, the demand for tryptophan continues to increase.

In the medical field, tryptophan is mainly used in pharmaceutical production scenarios such as antistress agents, gastric secretion regulators, antispasmodics, gastric mucosal protective agents, strong anti-coma agents, tranquilizers, antidepressants, etc. It plays a role in regulating brain metabolism, Improve sleep, prevent and treat anxiety, pellagra, depression, tobacco and drug addiction, etc. As the pace of social life continues to accelerate and urban residents’ life and work pressures continue to increase, the number of patients with anxiety disorders and depression continues to increase, driving the demand for antidepressants, tranquilizers and their raw material tryptophan to continue to rise. The global tryptophan market demand will reach 41,000 tons in 2022, a year-on-year increase of 6.4%.

According to the “China Tryptophan Industry Market Monitoring and Future Development Prospects Research Report 2023-2027” released by the Industrial Research Center , globally, companies with large-scale mass production capabilities of tryptophan mainly include international companies such as South Korea’s CJ Group, Japan’s Ajinomoto, and Germany’s Evonik, as well as Jinxiang Biochemical, Julong Biopharmaceutical, Fufeng Group, and Meihua Biotechnology There are many Chinese companies, etc.

　Industry AnalysisPeople said thattryptophan is one of the essential amino acids for the human body and has broad application prospects in food, medicine, health products and other fields. Currently, as consumers’ health awareness continues to increase and the number of patients with depression and anxiety continues to increase, the demand for tryptophan-based foods and drugs continues to grow, and the industry has entered a period of rapid development. There are many companies at home and abroad that are engaged in the tryptophan market, but there are fewer companies with large-scale mass production capabilities, and most of them are Chinese companies. At present, my country has become a major tryptophan producer in the world, and the development trend of the domestic industry is improving.