Production of High Docosahexaenoic Acid by Schizochytrium sp. Using Low-cost Raw Materials from Food Industry

Abstract

The low-cost substrates from food industry, including maize starch hydrolysate and soybean meal hydrolysate, were used to produce docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) by Schizochytrium limacinum OUC88. Glucose derived from maize starch hydrolysate was used as the carbon source and soybean meal hydrolysate as the nitrogen sources. In 10L bioreactor fermentation, by using the soybean meal hydrolysate as the main nitrogen source, the biomass of Schizochytrium limacinum OUC88 reached 85.27 g L^–1, and the yields of DHA was 20.7g L^–1. As a comparison, when yeast extract was used as the main nitrogen source, the yields of biomass and DHA were 68.93 g L^–1 and 13.3 g L^–1, respectively. From the results of this study, these hydrolysates can provide all the nutrients required for high-density cultivation of S. limacinum OUC88 and DHA production, that will improve the economical and competitive efficiency of commercial DHA production.