Biorefinery products from the inulin-containing crop Jerusalem artichoke.

The polysaccharides in Jerusalem artichoke (JA) carry a substantial amount of energy that can be partly accessed through bioconversion into storable fuels. We review the potential for converting inulin into a variety of high value-added biorefinery products, including biofuels and biochemicals, and consider the feasibility of regarding JA as a model species of an inulin-rich crop. We discuss feedstock pretreatment, microorganisms used during fermentation, biorefinery products derived from JA, and how to enhance the economic competitiveness of JA as an energy crop.