The polyphenol trans-resveratrol (3,5,4'-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene) is one of the best known plant secondary metabolites. The number of articles devoted to trans-resveratrol has been steadily increasing. Trans-resveratrol is a molecule that is beneficial to human health; this explains the high level of interest in trans-resveratrol among different research groups. Therefore, it is important to develop an effective method to produce this compound commercially. The applicability of biotechnology for trans-resveratrol extraction is still uncertain. This review describes and compares the available biotechnological methods of trans-resveratrol production, focusing on their advantages and disadvantages.
© Springer-Verlag 2011