Background Succinic acid, a valuable platform chemical, is mainly produced via chemical synthesis, posing a significant environmental burden. Within a circular economy framework, agro-industrial by-products offer a promising alternative for the sustainable production of bio-based chemicals. The present study compares the succinic acid production potential of Basfia succiniciproducens , wild-type, and metabolically engineered Escherichia coli MG1655 strains using apple pomace and whey as substrates. Results In bioreactor fermentations, B. succiniciproducens produced succinic acid with high yields (0.353 g g ⁻1 on apple pomace and 0.286 g g ⁻1 on whey), accompanied by substantial acetic acid accumulation. On apple pomace, E. coli MG1655 Δ pflB Δ ldhA Δ adhE achieved a succinic acid yield of 0.265 g g ⁻1 , while whey-based medium proved suboptimal in terms of viability and product formation (0.181 g g ⁻1 ). Acetic acid was not detected, and lactic acid formation occurred despite lactate dehydrogenase deletion, potentially through alternative biosynthetic routes. Conclusions The present work confirms that agro-industrial by-products, apple pomace and whey, are suitable substrates for the efficient production of succinic acid by B. succiniciproducens . Further strain optimization is required to enhance E. coli performance; however, its low by-product formation may remain advantageous for downstream processing.
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