Cheng, L., Zhang. J., Guo, L.
Abstract:
The Salt Research Institute (SRI) was set up in 1955 at Tanggu, near the city of Tianjin in northwestern China, to undertake research on both sea salt and lake salt productions. In 1985 the SRI expanded its scope into biotechnology, specifically in developing necessary technology for large-scale cultivation and harvesting of Dunaliella salina and the extraction of beta-carotene for commercial purposes. It has a field station with a small laboratory and algal culture ponds of several types. There are 8 outdoor production ponds, each measuring 13.5 x 100 m. Due to local weather conditions Dunaliella cultures can be maintained outdoors only from April to October or November. Annual production of pure beta-carotene crystals is about 10 kg and is sold mostly as an oil-based solution containing 0.5-1.2 per cent beta-carotene for the domestic market. Plans for upgrading production technology are underway.
(Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, La Jolla, CA 92093-0202, USA)
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