Chapter 14
The Bioeconomy of Production
of Microalgal Pigments
Jaison Jeevanandam, Vandana Choudhary, Jaya Divya Selvam,
and Michael K. Danquah
Abstract The utilization of renewable biological resources from living organisms to
generate food, energy, and materials is a significant driver of bioeconomies. There is
a growing awareness among consumers in the utilization of natural products obtained
from microorganisms and plant-based materials to deliver novel functional product
technologies that can contribute to industrial bioeconomy. Photosynthetic microorganisms, especially microalgae, are beneficial in yielding highly valuable metabolites, including lipids, proteins, pigments, and carbohydrates. Among these bioactive
compounds, natural organic pigments such as chlorophyll, carotenoids, phycobiliproteins, astaxanthin, and xanthophyll are gaining importance in several cosmetic, food,
and textile industries. This chapter gives an overview of microalgal pigments production and profiles high-value products that are obtained from microalgal pigments.
Discussions on the utilization of microalgal pigments as viable ingredients in various
product formulations, recent industrial applications of natural pigments, and the
future of microalgal pigment-based economy is also discussed.
Keywords Bioeconomy · Microalgae · Pigments · Chlorophyll · Natural
products · Bioresource
J. Jeevanandam
Department of Chemical Engineering, Curtin University, CDT 250 Miri, Sarawak 98009, Malaysia
V. Choudhary
Department of Microbiology, Gargi College, University of Delhi, Siri Fort Institutional Area, New
Delhi 110049, India
J. D. Selvam
Department of Advanced Zoology & Biotechnology, Loyola College, Nungambakkam, Chennai
600034, India
M. K. Danquah (B)
Chemical Engineering Department, University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, TN 37403, USA
e-mail: michael-danquah@utc.edu
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
E. Jacob-Lopes et al. (eds.), Pigments from Microalgae Handbook,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-50971-2_14
325
The Bioeconomy of Production
of Microalgal Pigments
Jaison Jeevanandam, Vandana Choudhary, Jaya Divya Selvam,
and Michael K. Danquah
Abstract The utilization of renewable biological resources from living organisms to
generate food, energy, and materials is a significant driver of bioeconomies. There is
a growing awareness among consumers in the utilization of natural products obtained
from microorganisms and plant-based materials to deliver novel functional product
technologies that can contribute to industrial bioeconomy. Photosynthetic microorganisms, especially microalgae, are beneficial in yielding highly valuable metabolites, including lipids, proteins, pigments, and carbohydrates. Among these bioactive
compounds, natural organic pigments such as chlorophyll, carotenoids, phycobiliproteins, astaxanthin, and xanthophyll are gaining importance in several cosmetic, food,
and textile industries. This chapter gives an overview of microalgal pigments production and profiles high-value products that are obtained from microalgal pigments.
Discussions on the utilization of microalgal pigments as viable ingredients in various
product formulations, recent industrial applications of natural pigments, and the
future of microalgal pigment-based economy is also discussed.
Keywords Bioeconomy · Microalgae · Pigments · Chlorophyll · Natural
products · Bioresource
J. Jeevanandam
Department of Chemical Engineering, Curtin University, CDT 250 Miri, Sarawak 98009, Malaysia
V. Choudhary
Department of Microbiology, Gargi College, University of Delhi, Siri Fort Institutional Area, New
Delhi 110049, India
J. D. Selvam
Department of Advanced Zoology & Biotechnology, Loyola College, Nungambakkam, Chennai
600034, India
M. K. Danquah (B)
Chemical Engineering Department, University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, TN 37403, USA
e-mail: michael-danquah@utc.edu
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
E. Jacob-Lopes et al. (eds.), Pigments from Microalgae Handbook,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-50971-2_14
325