Journal
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
Volume 287, Issue -, Pages -Publisher
ELSEVIER SCI LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2019.121398
Keywords
Single-cell protein; Pigment; Nitrogen limitation; Food; Microalgae
Funding
- China Scholarship Council [201507650015]
- MIP i-Cleantech Flanders (Milieu-innovatieplatform
- Environment innovation platform) project Microbial Nutrients on Demand (MicroNOD)
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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 beta-carotene presents high antioxidant pro-vitamin A activity.
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