Challenges and Solutions in D-Amino Acid Production Methods

D-amino acids play a vital role in the pharmaceutical, food, and chemical industries for the manufacture of antibiotics, fertility drugs, sweeteners, and drugs against neural disorders. Examples include; they can be components in analgesics, antistress agents, antidiabetics (e.g., nateglinide), and anticoagulants. Therefore, industrial production of D amino acids is required, and owing to this, research has progressed while aiming towards improving yield and reducing the cost of production. However, to optimize large-scale production, challenges faced in currently used production methods must first be exposed for possible solutions. In this review, we provide a background of recent methods utilized, challenges in these methods, and solutions to enhance the production of D-amino acids.