Mutagenesis selection and large-scale cultivation of non-green for food applications.

BACKGROUND

The green alga is an accepted food ingredient in the United States of America (United States), the European Union, Singapore, and China. It can be consumed in unlimited quantities. As this alga is rich in nutrients, proteins, and rough polysaccharides and contains a balanced proportion of various amino acids, it is an excellent raw material for food production. Although various edible brown and green algae are available on the market, their color and strong grassy flavor have constrained their popularity among consumers, thereby limiting their application in food additives and animal feed.

METHODS

Chlorophyll-deficient mutants were developed using atmospheric and room temperature plasma (ARTP) technology.

RESULTS

A yellow-colored variant () cultivated in dark conditions was isolated. This light-sensitive variant has a mutation in the gene, and it can grow heterotrophically using acetate as a carbon source.

CONCLUSION

Compared to wild-type , has significantly lower chlorophyll levels, reduced grassy flavor, and more diverse pigments, with considerable potential for commercial application in human and animal food production, as well as in pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.