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| C-phycocyanin Photo Credit: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology |
Scientific Frontline: Extended "At a Glance" Summary: C-Phycocyanin Production via Galdieria yellowstonensis
The Core Concept: Galdieria yellowstonensis is an ancient strain of red algae capable of metabolizing sugars from food-processing waste to produce C-phycocyanin, a valuable and food-safe blue pigment.
Key Distinction/Mechanism: Unlike conventional C-phycocyanin production methods that use cyanobacteria, this process utilizes an extremophile that thrives in hot, highly acidic environments. These harsh conditions naturally suppress competing microbes, thereby reducing costs and increasing yields. Additionally, its growth is uniquely stimulated by high levels of carbon dioxide, which is typically just a waste byproduct for sugar-consuming microbes.
Major Frameworks/Components:
- Algal Metabolism: The capacity of red algae to consume organic carbon, such as sugars from industrial food waste, to build a protein-rich biomass.
- Extremophile Cultivation: Utilizing the organism's biological preference for high-temperature and highly acidic conditions to maintain uncontaminated, high-yield bioreactors.
- Carbon Dioxide Stimulation: The unique physiological response of Galdieria yellowstonensis where elevated carbon dioxide promotes, rather than hinders, growth and organic carbon consumption.
- Circular Economy Integration: Recycling industrial byproducts into sustainable feedstocks for high-value biological products.
Branch of Science: Biotechnology, Microbiology, Bioengineering, and Environmental Science.
Future Application: Scaling this process to convert diverse, locally available industrial food wastes into sustainable, commercially valuable pigments and proteins, helping global food producers manage waste and lower production costs.
Why It Matters: This method provides a cost-effective, high-yield, and sustainable solution to organic waste management while simultaneously producing a lucrative pigment heavily utilized in the food, beverage, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries.
Researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) have discovered something new about a very old organism and used it to transform waste from a chocolate factory into C-phycocyanin, a valuable blue pigment that is estimated to have a global market value of over US$275 million by 2030.
The study, published in Trends in Biotechnology, outlines how Galdieria yellowstonensis, an ancient strain of red algae, can eat the sugars found in chocolate-processing waste to grow into a protein-rich biomass containing C-phycocyanin, which is used in food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical products. Adding to the findings was the unexpected discovery that high levels of carbon dioxide promote Galdieria growth. Normally, carbon dioxide is a waste produced by microbes eating sugar.
KAUST Associate Professor Kyle Lauresen and lead author of the study said: “Our work studying the metabolism of algae is uncovering new ways to turn waste into valuable products sustainably. Chocolate production, for example, generates waste when process lines start and stop. We realized this waste could be a useful food for Galdieria.”
Phycocyanin from Galdieria, of which C-phycocyanin is one type, was recently deemed food-safe by the U.S. FDA and is suitable for beverages and other food applications. However, compared to conventional methods for phycocyanin, which use cyanobacteria, the KAUST method using Galdieria can significantly reduce costs and increase yields because the hot and highly acidic environment in which Galdieria thrive can reduce the presence of other microbes.
Additionally, the recycling of factory waste into feed for microorganisms like algae to produce valuable products helps local industry contribute to a circular economy. This is especially relevant for food producers, who are facing increasing pressures in relation to production costs, waste management, and climate change.
Mars Corporate Affairs Director-Middle East and Africa Obai Rahim: “At Mars, we are committed to fostering innovation and sustainability through meaningful partnerships with leading academic institutions like KAUST. We are pleased that our chocolate samples could support this collaborative research, and we were delighted to welcome the KAUST team to our KAEC facility.
“This project reflects our dedication to advancing science and developing sustainable solutions, especially those that leverage local resources and expertise. The exploration of blue phycocyanin production from Galdieria grown on food waste aligns with our vision for a more sustainable future and our ongoing efforts to reduce food waste and promote circular economic practices.
“Mars values the opportunity to engage with local industry and academia, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration with KAUST to drive impactful research and innovation in the region.”
For their experiments, Lauresen and his research team collected waste from a chocolate factory in Saudi Arabia.
The researchers plan to further develop their process by assessing the scalability and technical capacity of Galdieria production processes on locally available wastes, helping more businesses in Saudi Arabia make the critical shift towards a circular carbon economy.
Authors: Mauricio Lopez Portillo Masson, Bárbara Bastos de Freitas, Andrei Zybinskii, Ghalih Althagafi, Ma’an Amad, Michael D. Fox, Peter J. Lammers, and Kyle J. Lauersen
Source/Credit: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
Reference Number: btech120125_01
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