Bioproduction of ß-carotene from microalgae

Carotenoids, an important group of pigments are currently produced for use as food colorants in animal feeds, nutritional supplements and for cosmetic and pharmaceutical purposes. ß-carotene as an important carotenoid can be synthesized chemically or naturally. The most important procedure for the natural production of ß-carotene is the culture of the unicellular marine green microalga Dunaliella. Production of carotenoids from Dunaliella has some advantages over chemical synthesise. The algae can be cultivated easily and quickly when compared to plants and produce very high quantity compared to other sources. Dunaliella also contains a range of carotenoids with wider applications. Algal ß-carotene is used as colorant and precursor to vitamin A in food industry. Moreover, numerous cosmetic and body-care products as a non-harmful colorant to improve the attractiveness of the product.