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  • New dual-stage pH control fed-batch cultivation strategy for the improvement of lipids and carotenoids production by the red yeast Rhodosporidium toruloides NCYC 921
    Publication . Dias, Carla; Sousa, Sofia; Caldeira, João; Reis, Alberto; Silva, Teresa Lopes da
    The optimal medium pH to produce biomass and fatty acids by the red yeast Rhodosporidium toruloides NCYC 921 is 4.0, and to produce carotenoids is 5.0. Based on this difference, a dual-stage pH control fed-batch cultivation strategy for the enhancement of lipids and carotenoids production by this yeast was studied. The results showed that when the yeast growth phase was conducted at pH 4.0, and the products accumulation phase was conducted at pH 5.0, biomass, total fatty acid and total carotenoid productivities were significantly improved comparing with the yeast fed batch cultivations carried out at fixed medium pH (4 or 5). Under dual-stage pH control conditions, the biomass, carotenoids and lipids productivities attained 2.35 g/L h, 0.29 g/L h and 0.40 g/L h, respectively. It was also observed that the oxygen played a major role in the yeast carotenoid production.
  • Carob pulp syrup : a potential Mediterranean carbon source for carotenoids production by Rhodosporidium toruloides NCYC 921
    Publication . Martins, Vasco; Dias, Carla; Caldeira, João; Duarte, Luís C.; Reis, Alberto; Silva, Teresa Lopes da
    ABSTRACT: Carob pulp syrup (CPS) was used as carbon source to produce carotenoids from Rhodosporidium toruloides. To increase the carbon concentration in the growth medium aiming at the carotenoid production improvement, the CPS was concentrated and two different total sugar (TS) concentrations (195.6 g/L and 548.7 g/L) were studied. CPS 195.6 g/L TS contained 4.1 g/L and 0.7 g/L of hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF) and furfural, respectively. CPS 548.7 g/L TS contained 17.7 g/L of HMF and 1.2 g/L of furfural, respectively. >42% of metabolically active cells (with intact membrane and enzymatic activity) were detected throughout the course of the yeast cultivation on CPS 195.6 g/L TS. On the contrary, the proportion of metabolically active cells was always below 28% during the yeast cultivation on CPS 548.7 g/L TS. Nevertheless, the maximum carotenoid content and productivity (0.42 mg/g and 0.43 mg/Lh, respectively) were obtained when using CPS 548.7 g/L TS.
  • Biofuels and high value added products from the yeast Rhodosporidium toruloides NCYC 921: Strategies towards a true cost-effective and environmentally sustainable integrated multiproduct driven biorefinery [Poster]
    Publication . Reis, Alberto; Dias, Carla; Caldeira, João; Teles, Marta; Oliveira, Bruno; Passarinho, Paula; Silva, Teresa Lopes da
    Single-cell oils (SCO) have been considered a promising source of 3rd generation biofuels mainly in the final form of biodiesel. However, its high production costs have been a barrier towards the commercialization of this commodity. The fast growing yeast Rhodosporidium toruloides NCYC 921 has been widely reported as a potential SCO producing yeast. In addition to its well-known high lipid content (that can be converted into biodiesel), is rich in high value added products such as carotenoids with commercial interest. The process design and integration may contribute to reduce the overall cost of biofuels and carotenoid production and is a mandatory step towards their commercialization. The present work addresses the biomass disruption, extraction, fractionation and recovery of products with special emphasis on high added valued carotenoids (beta-carotene, torulene, torularhodin) and fatty acids directed to biodiesel. The chemical structure of torularhodin with a terminal carboxylic group imposes an additional extra challenge in what concern its separation from fatty acids. The proposed feedstock is fresh biomass pellet obtained directly by centrifugation from a 5L fed-batch fermentation culture broth. The use of a wet instead of lyophilised biomass feedstock is a way to decrease processing energy costs and reduce downstream processing time. These results will contribute for a detailed process design. Gathered data will be of crucial importance for a further study on Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA).