Abstract
As the most recognizable natural secondary carotenoid astaxanthin producer, the green microalga Haematococcus pluvialis cultivation is performed via a two-stage process. The first is dedicated to biomass accumulation under growth-favoring conditions (green stage), and the second stage is for astaxanthin evolution under various stress conditions (red stage). This mini-review discusses the further improvement made on astaxanthin production by providing an overview of recent works on H. pluvialis, including the valuable ideas for bioprocess optimization on cell growth, and the current stress-exerting strategies for astaxanthin pigment production. The effects of nutrient constituents, especially nitrogen and carbon sources, and illumination intensity are emphasized during the green stage. On the other hand, the significance of the nitrogen depletion strategy and other exogenous factors comprising salinity, illumination, and temperature are considered for the astaxanthin inducement during the red stage. In short, any factor that interferes with the cellular processes that limit the growth or photosynthesis in the green stage could trigger the encystment process and astaxanthin formation during the red stage. This review provides an insight regarding the parameters involved in bioprocess optimization for high-value astaxanthin biosynthesis from H. pluvialis.
Highlights
Astaxanthin produced by H. pluvialis has created a high value-added metabolite with some unique benefits in various industrial sectors
The laboratory-scale microalgae cultivation elaborated the processes under environmental stresses to induce astaxanthin in the red stage and favorable conditions for biomass production in the green stage
H. pluvialis cultivation could be sustained in biomass and astaxanthin production with current cultivation strategies
Summary
Biomolecules 2021, 11, 256 applications are related to human nutrition and health in the form of food, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and dietary supplements [6,7]. Natural astaxanthin from H. pluvialis as a supplement has no side effect for human consumption [4]. Synthetic astaxanthin has not been approved as food additives and supplements for direct consumption by humans due to the difference in the molecular structure relative to the natural product [15,16]. Astaxanthin is produced by H. pluvialis under the imposition of various environmental stresses. The strategies cover different strains of H. pluvialis with different growth conditions and process improvement subjected to stress conditions, intending to increase the astaxanthin production
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