Investigating red pigment production by Penicillium purpurogenum DSM 62866
type: CreativeWork
description: The production of a diverse range of pigments with variable properties and application potential highlights filamentous fungi as potential sources of pigments in the consumer-driven move toward natural colourant alternatives in food, cosmetic and nutraceutical products. The majority of natural pigments currently in use are obtained from sources such as insects and plants, including fruit and vegetables. These sources are inherently affected by natural variation and seasonal availability. Fungal pigments can, however, be produced in large-scale processes, under optimised and controlled conditions, with minimal dependence on weather and seasonal raw materials. Penicillium purpurogenum was selected for investigation in this study on the basis of reported pigment production without the co-production of mycotoxins, and the ability to adjust pigmentation through modifying cultivation conditions. Red pigments produced by this organism are of particular interest given the demand for this colour in food and cosmetic applications. Red pigment production by P. purpurogenum DSM 62866 was confirmed on a medium composed of 30 g.L- 1 malt extract and 3 g.L-1 soya peptone (MESP medium), following which the impact of varying cultivation conditions was investigated. Factors considered included cultivation temperature, pH and the application of buffers, and shaking speed during incubation of flask cultures. Conditions identified as beneficial for pigment production and, therefore, applied to 5 L cultivation in a benchtop bioreactor, were a temperature of 30 °C and a culture pH of 5.0 maintained through the application of a 50 mM citrate buffer. The pH, growth and pigment production trends were consistent upon scaling up the cultivation from 100 mL shake flask to 5 L bioreactor scale. The volumetric biomass concentration achieved under these base case conditions in the bioreactor system was approximately 8.4 g.L -1 dry weight with a volumetric pigment concentration, based on absorbance…
abstract: The production of a diverse range of pigments with variable properties and application potential highlights filamentous fungi as potential sources of pigments in the consumer-driven move toward natural colourant alternatives in food, cosmetic and nutraceutical products. The majority of natural pigments currently in use are obtained from sources such as insects and plants, including fruit and vegetables. These sources are inherently affected by natural variation and seasonal availability. Fungal pigments can, however, be produced in large-scale processes, under optimised and controlled conditions, with minimal dependence on weather and seasonal raw materials. Penicillium purpurogenum was selected for investigation in this study on the basis of reported pigment production without the co-production of mycotoxins, and the ability to adjust pigmentation through modifying cultivation conditions. Red pigments produced by this organism are of particular interest given the demand for this colour in food and cosmetic applications. Red pigment production by P. purpurogenum DSM 62866 was confirmed on a medium composed of 30 g.L- 1 malt extract and 3 g.L-1 soya peptone (MESP medium), following which the impact of varying cultivation conditions was investigated. Factors considered included cultivation temperature, pH and the application of buffers, and shaking speed during incubation of flask cultures. Conditions identified as beneficial for pigment production and, therefore, applied to 5 L cultivation in a benchtop bioreactor, were a temperature of 30 °C and a culture pH of 5.0 maintained through the application of a 50 mM citrate buffer. The pH, growth and pigment production trends were consistent upon scaling up the cultivation from 100 mL shake flask to 5 L bioreactor scale. The volumetric biomass concentration achieved under these base case conditions in the bioreactor system was approximately 8.4 g.L -1 dry weight with a volumetric pigment concentration, based on absorbance…
author: Horn, Caryn
keywords: Chemical Engineering
date published: 2022
date modified: 2026-07-22T22:23:23Z
provider: University of Cape Town
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/37292