Optimization of growth conditions of the microalga Oocystis polymorpha in photo-bioreactors for the production of carotenoids targeted for use as antioxidants for nutraceutical pur

一些微藻特别有趣，因为它们能有效地产生抗氧化类胡萝卜素，包括虾青素，这已被证明对人类和动物的健康和营养有益。该项目的目的是结合NutrOcean公司光生物反应器中藻类生长的专业知识，开发微藻多态卵囊藻的生长条件，以最大限度地生产虾青素，并适应该物种。该公司的最终目标是从微藻中生产虾青素，并将其用于营养保健领域。将逐步扩大规模，最终在生物反应器中生产高达2l的培养物。不同的条件将被优化，以实现最大数量的藻类生产和最大的类胡萝卜素积累。NutrOcean是一家位于Rimouski的海洋养殖生产公司，专门从事微藻产品的开发和商业化。NutrOcean目前正在寻求进入营养保健品市场，更具体地说，在膳食补充剂和功能性食品中使用omega - 3和虾青素。虾青素补充剂已经提供给公众相当多年。然而，这种类胡萝卜素最商业化的形式是来自合成来源。今天，需要找到生产天然虾青素的替代方法。由于NutrOcean的主要任务之一是占领营养保健品虾青素市场，该公司对从微藻中生产类胡萝卜素的技术很感兴趣。因此，波波维奇博士团队的专业知识直接符合公司的需求，即通过创新的方式应用现有知识来解决公司的具体问题。因此，这种对技术转让的贡献将使加拿大公司在营养保健领域处于领先地位。从微藻中提取具有高抗氧化特性的类胡萝卜素的生物技术目前在加拿大尚不存在。

Some microalgae are particularly interesting because of their efficiency to produce antioxidant carotenoids, including astaxanthin, which have been proved to benefit human and animal health and nutrition. The aim of this project is to develop growth conditions for the microalga Oocystis polymorpha in order to produce maximal astaxanthin, combining it with the expertise of algae growing in photo-bioreactors from NutrOcean Company and adapting to this species. The eventual aim of the company is to produce astaxanthin from microalgae, using it in the nutraceutical field. A stepwise scaling-up will be carried out to eventually produce up to 2 L of the culture in a bioreactor. Different conditions will be optimized in order to achieve the highest mass algal production with a maximal carotenoid accumulation. NutrOcean is a marine farming production company located in Rimouski, specialized in the development and commercialization of microalgal products. NutrOcean has currently looking to penetrate the nutraceutical market, more specifically using omega 3 and astaxanthin in dietary supplements and functional food. Astaxanthin supplements have been available to the public for quite a number of years. However, the most commercially available form of this carotenoid is from synthetic sources. Today, there is a need to find alternate ways of producing natural astaxanthin. Since one of the major missions of NutrOcean is to capture the nutraceutical astaxanthin market the company is interested for technologies producing carotenoids from microalgae. The know-how of Dr. Popovic's team therefore, directly fits the need of the company at solving the company-specific problem through the application of existing knowledge in an innovative manner. Therefore, this contribution on technology transfer will allow a Canadian company to be in a leading position in the nutraceutical field. Such biotechnology oriented to obtain from microalgae specific carotenoids with high antioxidant properties presently does not exist in Canada.