Abstract
ABSTRACT Different yeast strains from forests located in southern Brazil, with potential to produce carotenoids, were isolated. Three microorganisms were selected as potential carotenoid producers. Sporiodiobolus pararoseus, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa and Pichia fermentans were grown in Yeast Malt (YM) medium and the carotenoids produced identified as cryptoxanthin and β-carotene. In order to reduce production costs, agroindustrial residues were used in the formulation of medium A (parboiled rice water and crude glycerol) and medium B (parboiled rice water and sugar cane molasses). The highest carotenoid production was obtained with S. pararoseus. It reached 905.30 μ gL-1 (122.82 μg g-1) in YM medium, 820 μg L-1 (68.04 μg g-1) in medium B and 710 μg L-1 (86.46 μg g-1) in medium A. R. mucilaginosa exhibited the best performance in medium B (360 μg L-1 and 30.16 μg g-1) and a new microorganism - P. fermentans - reached 48% (medium A) and 78% (medium B) of the value found in YM medium. Therefore, the agroindustrial residues under evaluation, which replaced the commonly used nitrogen and carbon sources in culture media, enabled the isolated yeasts to yield carotenoids.
Highlights
Carotenoids, which are the most widespread class of pigments in nature, are usually tetraterpenoids with 40 carbon atoms
Sporiodiobolus pararoseus, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa and Pichia fermentans were grown in Yeast Malt (YM) medium and the carotenoids produced identified as cryptoxanthin and β-carotene
R. mucilaginosa exhibited the best performance in medium B (360 μg L-1 and 30.16 μg g-1) and a new microorganism - P. fermentans - reached 48% and 78% of the value found in YM medium
Summary
Carotenoids, which are the most widespread class of pigments in nature, are usually tetraterpenoids with 40 carbon atoms. Importance has recently been given to carotenoids in the scientific field, due to their wide use as pigment in foods and precursors of vitamin A, and because of their beneficial effects on human health. Some carotenoids, such as β-carotene and β-cryptoxanthin, have been highlighted due to their antioxidant action and protection against cardiovascular diseases and some types of cancer (Rao and Rao, 2007), besides the fact that they inhibit lipoprotein oxidation processes. Zeaxanthin exerts protective action against macular degeneration and cataracts (Ma and Lin, 2010), strengthens the immune system (Fusco et al, 2007) and has antiinflammatory and anticarcinogenic activity (Preetha et al, 2008)
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