Radmer, R.J., Fisher, T.C.
Abstract:
Certain microalgae produce large quantities of oils and fats containing long-chain, polyunsaturated fatty acids ("PUFAs") that are essential to human nutrition and health. One of these PUFAs, DHA, may be associated with mental and visual development in infants, and plays a pivotal role in normal brain function throughout life. Our organisation is producing a DHA-containing oil at large scale by the heterotrophic cultivation of a marine microalga (the dinoflagellate Crypthecodinium cohnii). The development and scale-up of this process has generally followed fermentation industry norms, and the high-quality stainless steel fermentation vessels being used are not significantly compromised by the saline culture medium. The production of the DHA-containing algal biomass is currently being carried out using standard fermentation techniques in 150 000 litre fermentators. After harvest, the DHA-oil product is extracted using standard food-oil technology. The final product is a bright, clear triglyceride oil, similar to vegetable oil, containing greater than 40 per cent DHA.
(Martek Biosciences Corp., 6480 Dobbin Road, Columbia, Maryland, 21045, USA)
***************