Small-scale Production and Business Plan for Phycocyanin from Cyanobacteria

Abstract

Phycobiliproteins are water-soluble proteins present in cyanobacteria and certain algae. They capture light energy, which is then passed on to chlorophylls during photosynthesis. The major phycobiliproteins are phycocyanin, phycoerythrin, and allophycocyanin. The C-phycocyanin (C-PC) is a blue coloured pigment in cyanobacteria, which is considered as a healthy ingredient in cyanobacterial-based foods products while its colouring, fluorescent, or antioxidant properties are utilized only to a minor extent. However, recent research and developments in C-PC synthesis and functionality have expanded the potential applications of C-PC in biotechnology, diagnostics, foods, and medicine. The productivity of C-PC has been increased in heterotrophic, high cell density cultures that are grown under well-controlled and axenic conditions. C-PC purification protocols based on various chromatographic principles or novel two-phase aqueous extraction methods have expanded in numbers and improved in performance. The biggest constrain on pigment bioprocessing comes from the installation and operation costs; thus, fundamental and applied research are still needed to overcome such constrains and give the cyanobacteria industry an opportunity in the world market. Several factors can affect the extraction of pigments, including the target pigment, organism, market trends, available technology, and costs. In this, the main extraction methodologies were discussed, taking into account the advantages and disadvantages for C-phycocyanin pigment, type of organism, cost, and final market.