Abstracto

Studies on fermentative production of Beta Carotene from Phaffia rhodozyma

Bibhu Prasad Panda

Plating of the astaxanthin-producing yeast Phaffia rhodozyma on yeast-malt agar media containing different concentration of Beta-Ionone gave colonies with yellow orange pigment after 6 to 8 days of fermentation. Isolation of Beta-Carotene producing colonies were done, followed by testing for pigment production in shake flasks, demonstrated that pigment concentration were increased two-to five fold for Beta-Carotene content compared with the parental one. It was found from our study that Beta-Carotene production was improved by addition of Beta-Ionone at concentration of about 10-4 and 2×10-4 after sixth day of fermentation. By using different carbon and magnesium source yield of Beta-Carotene content could be increased to higher level with sucrose 283.01 µg/g, ammonium sulphate (234.80 µg/g) and magnesium sulphate (218.65 µg/g).