Benzylisoquinoline alkaloid (BIA) precursor producing microbes, and methods of making and using the same

A method of producing a pharmaceutical opioid formulation, the method comprising:

• feeding a plurality of engineered non-plant cells with a starting material in a cellular growth medium;
• producing a pharmaceutical opioid compound, or a precursor thereof, from the plurality of engineered non-plant cells to create a mixture comprising the plurality of engineered non-plant cells, the cellular growth medium, and the pharmaceutical opioid compound or a precursor thereof;
• processing the pharmaceutical opioid compound or precursor thereof, wherein the processing comprises:
• separating out engineered non-plant cells using at least one process selected from the group consisting of sedimentation, filtration, and centrifugation;
• and
• producing the pharmaceutical opioid formulation that comprises the pharmaceutical opioid compound,
• wherein the mixture does not contain a detectable amount of a compound selected from the group consisting of silicon, polysaccharides, lignin, pigments, flavonoids, phenanthreoids, latex, gum, wax, rubisco, meconic acid, pseudomorphine, narceine, thebaol, pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, and pollen.