Marine Drugs (Jun 2023)

Microalgae, Seaweeds and Aquatic Bacteria, Archaea, and Yeasts: Sources of Carotenoids with Potential Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Health-Promoting Actions in the Sustainability Era

  • Paula Mapelli-Brahm,
  • Patricia Gómez-Villegas,
  • Mariana Lourdes Gonda,
  • Antonio León-Vaz,
  • Rosa León,
  • Jennifer Mildenberger,
  • Céline Rebours,
  • Verónica Saravia,
  • Silvana Vero,
  • Eugenia Vila,
  • Antonio J. Meléndez-Martínez

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/md21060340
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 21, no. 6
p. 340

Abstract

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Carotenoids are a large group of health-promoting compounds used in many industrial sectors, such as foods, feeds, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, nutraceuticals, and colorants. Considering the global population growth and environmental challenges, it is essential to find new sustainable sources of carotenoids beyond those obtained from agriculture. This review focuses on the potential use of marine archaea, bacteria, algae, and yeast as biological factories of carotenoids. A wide variety of carotenoids, including novel ones, were identified in these organisms. The role of carotenoids in marine organisms and their potential health-promoting actions have also been discussed. Marine organisms have a great capacity to synthesize a wide variety of carotenoids, which can be obtained in a renewable manner without depleting natural resources. Thus, it is concluded that they represent a key sustainable source of carotenoids that could help Europe achieve its Green Deal and Recovery Plan. Additionally, the lack of standards, clinical studies, and toxicity analysis reduces the use of marine organisms as sources of traditional and novel carotenoids. Therefore, further research on the processing of marine organisms, the biosynthetic pathways, extraction procedures, and examination of their content is needed to increase carotenoid productivity, document their safety, and decrease costs for their industrial implementation.

Keywords