3522
Process to produce natural astaxanthin without cell harvesting
Astaxanthin is a natural red coloring agent and powerful antioxidant that can be used in a wide range of products. It also has health benefits. The natural form of astaxanthin is more active due to the esterified hydroxyl groups and has a higher bioavailability than synthetic astaxanthin. The natural form is usually produced by microalgae. These use sunlight and CO₂.
Department
Biology
Subject area
Applied-Plant Science
Patent number
DE102024107817
Contact person
Dr. Simon Greulich
simon.greulich@tu-darmstadt.de
+49 6151 16-22252
Downloads
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Optionale Headline
We have modified a microalgae to produce astaxanthin. Although such strains already exist, their use is very laborious. It requires harvesting the cells and then extracting the astaxanthin from the biomass. Our development largely eliminates these steps. Using a membrane transporter, the microalgae release the produced astaxanthin directly into the culture medium. The cultures are then coated with an organic solvent for extraction. The organic solvent can then simply be evaporated, which then leaves astaxanthin as a powder.