EPA Production from Microalgae

Abstract

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), are known to have various physiological activity. The availability of PUFA is currently limited because they are mainly produced from fish oil, and a sustainable source of PUFA is needed. Microalgae have attracted attention as an alternative source of PUFA due to their high lipid productivity. Although several studies on algae cultivation, extraction and purification of lipid have been ongoing, low productivity of PUFA has been a problem for commercial use of microalgae. This review summarizes recent research on elucidation of EPA synthetic pathway and improvement of EPA productivity of microalgae Nannochloropsis.