A realistic take on the productivity and sustainability of β-carotene biosynthesis in microalgae and yeast

Kovács, Eszter (2024) A realistic take on the productivity and sustainability of β-carotene biosynthesis in microalgae and yeast. Bachelor's Thesis, Life Science and Technology.

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Abstract

Carotenoids are a class of natural pigment endowed with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunity-enhancing and photoprotective properties, and thus are widely used in the food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. One of the most desirable carotenoids is the precursor of vitamin A, β-carotene. In recent years there has been an increasing demand for natural β-carotene, due to the health risks associated with synthetic sources. Natural sources of β-carotene include vegetables, fruits and microorganisms. This review explores the potential of microalgae and yeast for β-carotene production, aiming to determine which organism is better suited as an industrial biofactory to meet the rising demand for natural carotenoids, specifically β-carotene. To this end, microalgae and yeast were comparatively analysed in terms of productivity and sustainability. It was found that yeast showed higher productivity relative to microalgae, whereas fermentation faced sustainability issues due to sugar-sourcing. Despite the higher potential for sustainability for the autotroph microalgae, the scale-up of β-carotene production was found to be costly and energy-intensive due to the lack of infrastructure. To optimise energy consumption and costs for sustainable β-carotene production, a combined approach using both microalgae and yeast was suggested. In major sugar-producing countries, yeast could be used for fermenting agricultural waste, while microalgae in those with limited agriculture.

Item Type:	Thesis (Bachelor's Thesis)
Supervisor name:	Haslinger, K. and Billerbeck, S.K.
Degree programme:	Life Science and Technology
Thesis type:	Bachelor's Thesis
Language:	English
Date Deposited:	05 Jul 2024 09:45
Last Modified:	05 Jul 2024 09:45
URI:	https://fse.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/32803

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