Current Advances in Carotenoid Production by <i>Rhodotorula</i> sp.
Nayra Ochoa-Viñals,
Dania Alonso-Estrada,
Sandra Pacios-Michelena,
Ariel García-Cruz,
Rodolfo Ramos-González,
Evelyn Faife-Pérez,
Lourdes Georgina Michelena-Álvarez,
José Luis Martínez-Hernández,
Anna Iliná
Affiliations
Nayra Ochoa-Viñals
Nanobioscience Sciences Research Groups, Postgraduate Program in Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Chemical Sciences of the Autonomous University of Coahuila, Blvd. V. Carranza e Ing. José Cárdenas V., Col. República, Saltillo CP 25280, Mexico
Dania Alonso-Estrada
Nanobioscience Sciences Research Groups, Postgraduate Program in Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Chemical Sciences of the Autonomous University of Coahuila, Blvd. V. Carranza e Ing. José Cárdenas V., Col. República, Saltillo CP 25280, Mexico
Sandra Pacios-Michelena
Nanobioscience Sciences Research Groups, Postgraduate Program in Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Chemical Sciences of the Autonomous University of Coahuila, Blvd. V. Carranza e Ing. José Cárdenas V., Col. República, Saltillo CP 25280, Mexico
Ariel García-Cruz
Department of Engineering, Technological Institute of Ciudad Valles, National Technological Institute of Mexico, Carretera al Ingenio Plan de Ayala Km. 2, Colonia Vista Hermosa, Ciudad Valles, San Luis Potosí CP 79010, Mexico
Rodolfo Ramos-González
CONAHCYT, Nanobioscience Research Group, Faculty of Chemical Sciences, Autonomous University of Coahuila, Blvd. V. Carranza e Ing. José Cárdenas V., Col. República, Saltillo CP 25280, Mexico
Evelyn Faife-Pérez
Cuban Institute for Research on Sugarcane Derivatives (ICIDCA), Vía Blanca 804 and Carretera Central, Havana CP 11000, Cuba
Lourdes Georgina Michelena-Álvarez
Cuban Institute for Research on Sugarcane Derivatives (ICIDCA), Vía Blanca 804 and Carretera Central, Havana CP 11000, Cuba
José Luis Martínez-Hernández
Nanobioscience Sciences Research Groups, Postgraduate Program in Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Chemical Sciences of the Autonomous University of Coahuila, Blvd. V. Carranza e Ing. José Cárdenas V., Col. República, Saltillo CP 25280, Mexico
Anna Iliná
Nanobioscience Sciences Research Groups, Postgraduate Program in Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Chemical Sciences of the Autonomous University of Coahuila, Blvd. V. Carranza e Ing. José Cárdenas V., Col. República, Saltillo CP 25280, Mexico
Microbial carotenoids are pigments of lipophilic nature; they are considered promising substitutes for chemically synthesized carotenoids in the food industry. Their benefits for human health have been demonstrated due to their antioxidant capacity. Yeasts of the genus Rhodotorula have genotypic characteristics that allow them to accumulate high concentrations of carotenes under certain stress conditions. The present review includes recent information covering different aspects of carotenoid production in Rhodotorula sp. fermentation. This review focuses on fermentation carotenoid production strategies, describing various economic raw materials as sources of carbon and nitrogen, the capacity for tolerance to heavy metals, and the effect of light, pH, and salts on the accumulation of carotenoids. Genetic modification strategies used to obtain strains with increased carotenoid production are described. Furthermore, using magnetic nanoparticles in the fermentation system, which could be a stress factor that increases pigment production, is considered for the first time. Rhodotorula is a potential source of high-value carotenoids with applications in the cosmetics, pharmaceutical, and food industries.
