<p>Ectoine, a bioactive molecule, has gained significant attention in industrial applications due to its exceptional stabilizing properties. This natural cyclic amino acid derivative, produced by halophiles, plays a crucial role in protecting cells against extreme environmental conditions. The emerging demand for ectoine has urged sustainable production on a large scale. This review describes a comparative analysis of optimization conditions in microbial fermentation as well as recent trends in recombinant technology. The current production state of ectoine primarily relies on bacterial fermentation using halophilic organisms. Genetic engineering techniques show great potential that can surpass ectoine production over traditional fermentation methods. Introducing ectoine biosynthetic pathways into non-halophilic host organisms enables more efficient and controlled production processes. Additionally, the current state of downstream processes for the recovery of ectoine is also discussed. As the demand for ectoine continues to grow, integrating cost-effective raw materials and advanced biotechnological approaches along with efficient down-stream processes are highly demandable. Single-step purification and Artificial Intelligence - Machine Learning (AI - ML) based fermentation systems shows great potential to combat with aroused challenges in ectoine sustainability. These advanced approaches will be crucial for meeting industrial-scale production requirements and unlocking its potential in diverse applications. These approaches align with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDG 3.4 (Non-communicable Diseases and mental health), SDG 3.9 (Environmental Health), and SDG 3.b (Essential medicines and vaccines).</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>