Effect of feeding methods on the astaxanthin production by Phaffia rhodozyma in fed-batch process

Abstract

The effect of feeding methods on the production of astaxanthin by the yeast Phaffia rhodozyma ATCC 24202 was studied, using continuous and pulsed fed-batch processes and low cost materials as substrates (sugar cane juice and urea). In continuous fed-batch processes, a cellular astaxanthin concentration of 383.73 μg/g biomass was obtained. But in pulsed fed-batch processes a reduction in the cellular astaxanthin concentration (303.34 μg/g biomass) was observed. Thus the continuous fed-batch processes could be an alternative to industrial production of astaxanthin, allowing an increase in the biomass productivity without losses on astaxanthin production by the yeast.