Lignin from Sugar Process as Natural Antimicrobial Agent

An increase in health awareness, emerging communicable disease, and an increasing of older population support the important of product with antimicrobial characteristic. Market research reported an increase in global revenue of antimicrobial product to reach $16 million by the end of 2020. Currently, trend of antimicrobial agent is moving toward organic material but more research and investigation is required before it can completely replace traditional material, metallic compound. Lignin is one of the major natural resource and by-product from industrial process that exhibit antimicrobial activity. Variation of plant source play significant role in antimicrobial activity due to its variation of basic compound of lignin. In Thailand, it is estimated that approximately 7.5 million ton is available for utilization, annually, from sugar industry alone. Diversity of lignin composition, its antimicrobial activity and large supply of the material that is waiting to be utilized provide great opportunity for utilization of lignin as antimicrobial agent.