Production of Natural β-Carotene from Dunaliella Living in the Dead Sea

The main aim of this work was to investigate the possibility of Beta Carotene production using micro algae Dunaliella salina existing in the Dead Sea. The research being carried out covers a number of interdependent steps and, is focusing on laboratory scale cultures. Under stress conditions such as high light intensity or nutrient starvation, cells of the unicellular alga Dunaliella salina overproduce β-carotene, which is accumulated in the plastids in newly formed triacylglycerol droplets. Dunaliella was isolated from the Dead Sea and cultivated using a certain media until the cell count was 500,000 cell/mL. The cultivation step was monitored and video captured using a digital microscope with USB camera, then it was centrifuged and extracted using different kinds of organic solvents. The amount of dry weight was 3 g/L of which 3-6% was β-carotene. Freeze drying step was performed to obtain β-carotene as powder. The analysis of the powder was carried out by the research and development department at one of the pharmaceutical companies. It was evident that a pilot plant investigation should be the next step on the way of commercialization of such a profitable process.