BIOTECHNOLOGY AS A USEFUL TOOL FOR NUTRITIONAL IMPROVEMENT OF CEREAL-BASED MATERIALS ENRICHED WITH POLYUNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS AND PIGMENTS

• Main Authors: M. Čertík, Z. Adamechová, V. Hanusová
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Faculty of Agrobitechnical Sciences Osijek 2008-09-01
• Series: Poljoprivreda
• Online Access: http://poljoprivreda.pfos.hr/upload/publications/poljoprivreda-14-1-sup20.pdf

Cereals represent a major food supply for humanity. Although these sources are rich in proteins and carbohydrates, many of them are deficient in several essential nutrients, such as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and carotenoid pigments. One possible approach how to enhance the content of PUFAs or carotenoids in cereal diet is based on biotechnological transformation of cereal materials by solid state fermentations. This technique is powerful tool for effective valorisation of these resources to various types of value-added bioproducts with demanded properties and functions. Selected filamentous Mucorales fungi were applied for conversion of numerous agroindustrial substrates to bioproducts enriched with PUFAs, such as gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA), arachidonic acid (AA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). On the other hand, a range of yeast species utilizing agroindustrial substrates were employed for formation of carotenoids, such as β-carotene, torulene, torularhodine and astaxanthin. Such naturally prepared cereal based bioproducts enriched with either PUFAs or carotenoid pigments may be used as an inexpensive food and feed supplement. The work was supported by grant VEGA No. 1/0747/08 from the Grant Agency of Ministry of Education, Slovak Republic.