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Enhancement of co-production of nutritional protein and carotenoids in Dunaliella salina using a two-phase cultivation assisted by nitrogen level and light intensity

Enhancement of co-production of nutritional protein and carotenoids in Dunaliella salina using a two-phase cultivation assisted by nitrogen level and light intensity

Sui, Yixing ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2646-5773, Muys, Maarten, Van de Waal, Dedmer B., D'Adamo, Sarah, Vermeir, Pieter, Fernandes, Tânia V. and Vlaeminck, Siegfried E. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2596-8857 (2019) Enhancement of co-production of nutritional protein and carotenoids in Dunaliella salina using a two-phase cultivation assisted by nitrogen level and light intensity. Bioresource Technology, 287:121398. ISSN 0960-8524 (doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2019.121398)

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Abstract

Microalga Dunaliella salina is known for its carotenogenesis. At the same time, it can also produce high-quality protein. The optimal conditions for D. salina to co-produce intracellular pools of both compounds, however, are yet unknown. This study investigated a two-phase cultivation strategy to optimize combined high-quality protein and carotenoid production of D. salina. In phase-one, a gradient of nitrogen concentrations was tested. In phase-two, effects of nitrogen pulse and high illumination were tested. Results reveal optimized protein quantity, quality (expressed as essential amino acid index EAAI) and carotenoids content in a two-phase cultivation, where short nitrogen starvation in phase-one was followed by high illumination during phase-two. Adopting this strategy, productivities of protein, EAA and carotenoids reached 22, 7 and 3 mg/L/d, respectively, with an EAAI of 1.1. The quality of this biomass surpasses FAO/WHO standard for human nutrition, and the observed level of β-carotene presents high antioxidant pro-vitamin A activity.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: single-cell protein, pigment, nitrogen limitation, food, microalgae
Subjects: Q Science > Q Science (General)
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group: Faculty of Engineering & Science
Faculty of Engineering & Science > Algal Biotechnology Research Group
Faculty of Engineering & Science > School of Science (SCI)
Last Modified: 29 Apr 2020 01:38
URI: http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/27751

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