Effect of Different Carbon and Nitrogen Sources on the Production of Carotenoid Pigments by Phaffia rhodozyma

Abstract

Carotenoids are natural compounds that are attractive in color and easy to extract from microorganisms. Astaxanthin is the principal carotenoid pigment responsible for the distinctive orange red pigmentation in marine invertebrates, fish and crustaceans. Phaffia rhodozyma (red yeast) produces astaxanthin as the major carotenoid. In the present investigation, improved astaxanthin production by the P. rhodozyma was performed with different carbon and nitrogen sources. Maximum amount of carotenoid obtained in sucrose-supplemented medium at 2% (W/V) was 6.80 mgL^-1. It was followed by maltose (5.3 mgL^-1), and glucose (1.8 mgL^-1). Urea at 0.25% was the best nitrogen source for higher carotenoid production (6.74 mgL^-1), followed by (NH₄)₂ SO₄ (4.81 mgL^-1) and yeast extract (4.48 mgL^-1).