IMPROVED METHOD OF PRODUCING LYCOPENE THROUGH THE FERMENTATION OF SELECTED STRAINS OF BLAKESLEA TRISPORA, FORMULATIONS AND USES OF THE LYCOPENE THUS OBTAINED

摘要

The invention relates to a method of fermenting selected strains of B. Trispora which can be used to achieve lycopene production levels greater than current levels. The isolation, purification and formulation methods can be applied to any natural lycopene source and, in particular, to submerged cultures of Blakeslea-, Choanephora-, Phycomyces- or Mucor-type Mucorales fungi. The extraction method enables the recovery method to be simplified and the purity of the product to be increased with respect to standard methods. The formulation methods provide high added value owing to the fact that they can be used to obtain stabilised lycopene preparations which can be used directly in the food and pharmaceutical fields.