Microbial Production of Food Grade Pigments

Već se godinama raspravlja o kontroverznoj temi sintetskih bojila u hrani. Danas potrošači strogo i negativno ocijenjuju njihovu prisutnost u hrani pa je sve veće zanimanje za upotrebom prirodnih alternativnih bojila. Priroda je bogata bojama (minerali, biljke, mikroalge, itd.) i puna mikroorganizama koji proizvode pigmente (plijesni, kvasci i bakterije). Mikroorganizmi proizvode molekule poput karotenoida, melanina, flavina, kinona, te posebice monascina, violaceina ili indiga. Uspjeh bilo kojeg pigmenta proizvedenog fermentacijom ovisi o njegovoj prihvatljivosti na tržištu, zakonskoj regulativi i veličini kapitalnih ulaganja. Prije nekoliko godina izražena je sumnja u to da se pigmenti hrane dobiveni fermentacijom mogu uspješno komercijalizirati zbog velikih ulaganja u fermentacijska postrojenja te dugih i opsežnih toksikoloških studija što zahtijevaju regulatorne agencije. Također se mora uzeti u obzir i percepcija javnosti o biotehnološkim proizvodima. Neki od pigmenata hrane proizvedenih fermentacijom danas su prisutni na tržištu: Monascus pigmenti, astaksantin iz Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous, Arpink Red iz Penicillium oxalicum, riboflavin iz Ashbya gossypii, b-karoten iz Blakeslea trispora. Pigmenti iz algi ili biljaka, koji se koriste kao bojila za namirnice ili dodatak hrani, mogu se uspješno plasirati na tržište, gdje potrošači mogu izdvojiti više za potpuno prirodnu hranu.The controversial topic of synthetic dyes in food has been discussed for many years. The scrutiny and negative assessment of synthetic food dyes by the modern consumer have raised a strong interest in natural colouring alternatives. Nature is rich in colours (minerals, plants, microalgae, etc.), and pigment-producing microorganisms (fungi, yeasts, bacteria) are quite common. Among the molecules produced by microorganisms are carotenoids, melanins, flavins, quinones, and more specifically monascins, violacein or indigo. The success of any pigment produced by fermentation depends upon its acceptability on the market, regulatory approval, and the size of the capital investment required to bring the product to market. A few years ago, some expressed doubts about the successful commercialization of fermentation-derived food grade pigments because of the high capital investment requirements for fermentation facilities and the extensive and lengthy toxicity studies required by regulatory agencies. Public perception of biotechnology-derived products also had to be taken into account. Nowadays some fermentative food grade pigments are on the market: Monascus pigments, astaxanthin from Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous, Arpink Red from Penicillium oxalicum, riboflavin from Ashbya gossypii, b-carotene from Blakeslea trispora. The successful marketing of pigments derived from algae or extracted from plants, both as a food colour and a nutritional supplement, reflects the presence and importance of niche markets in which consumers are willing to pay a premium for »all natural ingredients«

Structure and biosynthesis of carotenoids produced by a novel Planococcus sp. isolated from South Africa

The genus Planococcus is comprised of halophilic bacteria generally reported for the production of carotenoid pigments and biosurfactants. In previous work, we showed that the culturing of the orange-pigmented Planococcus sp. CP5-4 isolate increased the evaporation rate of industrial wastewater brine effluent, which we attributed to the orange pigment. This demonstrated the potential application of this bacterium for industrial brine effluent management in evaporation ponds for inland desalination plants. Here we identified a C30- carotenoid biosynthetic gene cluster responsible for pigment biosynthesis in Planococcus sp. CP5-4 through isolation of mutants and genome sequencing. We further compare the core genes of the carotenoid biosynthetic gene clusters identified from different Planococcus species’ genomes which grouped into gene cluster families containing BGCs linked to different carotenoid product chemotypes. Lastly, LC–MS analysis of saponified and unsaponified pigment extracts obtained from cultures of Planococcus sp. CP5-4, revealed the structure of the main (predominant) glucosylated C30- carotenoid fatty acid ester produced by Planococcus sp. CP5-4

OSMAC Method to Assess Impact of Culture Parameters on Metabolomic Diversity and Biological Activity of Marine-Derived Actinobacteria

peer reviewedActinobacteria are known for their production of bioactive specialized metabolites, but they are still under-exploited. This study uses the “One Strain Many Compounds” (OSMAC) method to explore the potential of three preselected marine-derived actinobacteria: Salinispora arenicola (SH-78) and two Micromonospora sp. strains (SH-82 and SH-57). Various parameters, including the duration of the culture and the nature of the growth medium, were modified to assess their impact on the production of specialized metabolites. This approach involved a characterization based on chemical analysis completed with the construction of molecular networks and biological testing to evaluate cytotoxic and antiplasmodial activities. The results indicated that the influence of culture parameters depended on the studied species and also varied in relation with the microbial metabolites targeted. However, common favorable parameters could be observed for all strains such as an increase in the duration of the culture or the use of the A1 medium. For Micromonospora sp. SH-82, the solid A1 medium culture over 21 days favored a greater chemical diversity. A rise in the antiplasmodial activity was observed with this culture duration, with a IC50 twice as low as for the 14-day culture. Micromonospora sp. SH-57 produced more diverse natural products in liquid culture, with approximately 54% of nodes from the molecular network specifically linked to the type of culture support. Enhanced biological activities were also observed with specific sets of parameters. Finally, for Salinispora arenicola SH-78, liquid culture allowed a greater diversity of metabolites, but intensity variations were specifically observed for some metabolites under other conditions. Notably, compounds related to staurosporine were more abundant in solid culture. Consequently, in the range of the chosen parameters, optimal conditions to enhance metabolic diversity and biological activities in these three marine-derived actinobacteria were identified, paving the way for future isolation works

Roles of Medicinal Mushrooms as Natural Food Dyes and Dye-Sensitised Solar Cells (DSSC): Synergy of Zero Hunger and Affordable Energy for Sustainable Development

In 2015, approximately 195 countries agreed with the United Nations that by 2030, they would work to make the world a better place. There would be synergies in accomplishing the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Synergy using a single sustainable resource is critical to assist developing nations in achieving the SDGs as cost-effectively and efficiently possible. To use fungal dye resources, we proposed a combination of the zero hunger and affordable energy goals. Dyes are widely used in high-tech sectors, including food and energy. Natural dyes are more environment-friendly than synthetic dyes and may have medicinal benefits. Fungi are a natural source of dye that can be substituted for plants. For example, medicinal mushrooms offer a wide range of safe organic dyes that may be produced instantly, inexpensively, and in large quantities. Meanwhile, medicinal mushroom dyes may provide a less expensive choice for photovoltaic (PV) technology due to their non-toxic and environmentally friendly qualities. This agenda thoroughly explains the significance of pigments from medicinal mushrooms in culinary and solar PV applications. If executed effectively, such a large, unwieldy and ambitious agenda may lead the world towards inclusive and sustainable development

Microorganisms as sources of biobased colorants. Going deep into the rainbow of colorful fungi, yeasts, microalgae and bacteria

International audienc

New Research Trends for Textiles

The Textiles journal is a peer-reviewed, open-access journal, officially launched in 2020 [...

Fungal Pigments: More Insights from Colorful Fungi

Following the previous Journal of Fungi (ISSN 2309-608X) Fungal Pigments Special Issue edited and published in 2017 (weblink https://www [...

Red colorants from filamentous fungi: Are they ready for the food industry?

International audienceFood components of microbial-origin have a long history in food science and the food industry. Thickening and gelling agents, flavour enhancers, polyunsaturated fatty acids, flavour compounds, vitamins, essential amino acids, and acidulants are some examples of such ingredients. This paper will provide an update on the current worldwide situation for four different fungal reds: (i) carotenoid lycopene (simple compound, complex current status); (ii) molecular biology on Monascus to avoid mycotoxin and cholesterol-lowering substance in pigmented extracts; (iii) newcomers with azaphilone-producing fungi such as Talaromyces atroroseus, Penicillium purpurogenum, and Talaromyces albobiverticillius; and (iv) anthraquinones as a possible alternative to the insect-sourced carmine. The future of Monascus in Europe and the USA is just around the corner, and markets will appear as soon as the citrinin issue has been solved, with the help of the current better knowledge of full genomes from industrial strains. Fungi bring a new class of pigments to the food industry, as azaphilones are not present in plants. These azaphilone-producing strains should now be thoroughly studied through liquid fermentation of Penicillium/Talaromyces strains, with optimized scale-up. A fungal alternative to carmine insect anthraquinone is further away from the market, however, due to the particular stability of this vibrant red in foods; research efforts should be intensified

Microbial carotenoids as bioactive food ingredients

International audienceNature is rich in colors (minerals, plants, microalgae, etc) and pigment-producing microorganisms (fungi, yeasts, bacteria) are quite common. Among the molecules produced by microorganisms are carotenoids, melanins, flavins, phenazines, quinones, bacteriochlorophylls and more specifically monascins, violacein or indigo. The food industry was mainly using synthetic colors up to the nineties, 1995 being the beginning of the switch to natural colorants, conversion accelerated by the Southampton study of 2007 which linked some synthetic food colors with hyperactivity of childrens. The natural food coloring industry market is now growing at 10%-15% annually. Among food pigments, carotenoids are of special interest as they are bioactives with antioxidant, anticancer, vitamin, or hormone properties. Growing interest in healthy diets and an aging global population is anticipated to fuel growth in the global carotenoids market which is intended to reach USD 1.2 billion by 2015. More than 650 different carotenoids are produced by plants, algae, bacteria, and fungi. At present time, only a few can be obtained at a large scale and microbial fermentation is among the most promising tools to achieve the production of large amounts of new carotenoids. Examples presented in this review are b-carotene, lycopene, astaxanthin, zeaxanthin, canthaxanthin, torulene, isorenieratene and dihydroxyisorenieratene… Applications are numerous in health supplements, animal feed, nutraceutics, food colorants. Last part concludes with some prospects for carotenoid production by genetically modified microorganisms, especially directed evolution and combinatorial biosynthesis

Ecological and Biotechnological Aspects of Pigmented Microbes: A Way Forward in Development of Food and Pharmaceutical Grade Pigments

Microbial pigments play multiple roles in the ecosystem construction, survival, and fitness of all kinds of organisms. Considerably, microbial (bacteria, fungi, yeast, and microalgae) pigments offer a wide array of food, drug, colorants, dyes, and imaging applications. In contrast to the natural pigments from microbes, synthetic colorants are widely used due to high production, high intensity, and low cost. Nevertheless, natural pigments are gaining more demand over synthetic pigments as synthetic pigments have demonstrated side effects on human health. Therefore, research on microbial pigments needs to be extended, explored, and exploited to find potential industrial applications. In this review, the evolutionary aspects, the spatial significance of important pigments, biomedical applications, research gaps, and future perspectives are detailed briefly. The pathogenic nature of some pigmented bacteria is also detailed for awareness and safe handling. In addition, pigments from macro-organisms are also discussed in some sections for comparison with microbes