Abstract

The growth and the quantity and quality of carotenes produced by two Chilean strains of D. salina (CONC-001 and CONC-007), grown in two different media (PES and SM) were analyzed. No important differences were found between the two media either in the growth or in the carotenogenesis suggesting that the low-cost media (SM) would be appropriate for large scale culture of D. salina. The strain CONC-007 displayed the lower growth rate, but the highest productivity of carotenoid per cell and the highest 9-cis ?-carotene content whereas the strain CONC-001 exhibited the highest growth rate but a lower accumulation of carotenoid per cell and a low 9-cis ?-carotene content. The Chilean strains were both more carotenogenic than the reference strain Dunaliella bardawil.