Current upstream and downstream process strategies for sustainable yeast lipid production
Sze Ying Lee, Melanie Weingarten, Christoph Ottenheim
Abstract
• Yeast lipid can have similar FA profile as palm oil and cocoa butter; or PUFA-rich. • The upstream strategies can be synergized, and integrated with innovative DSP. • Lignocellulosic residue, crude glycerol and food waste can be low-cost feedstock. • Co-culture system and cell harvesting through bioflocculation needs to be explored. • Potential concurrent synthesis and recovery of co-products by oleaginous yeast. An increasing global population demands more lipids for food and chemicals, but the unsustainable growth of plant-derived lipid production and an unreliable supply of certain lipids due to environmental changes, require new solutions. One promising solution is the use of lipids derived from microbial biomass, particularly oleaginous yeasts. This critical review begins with a description of the most promising yeast lipid replacement targets: palm oil substitute, cocoa butter equivalent, polyunsaturated fatty acid source, and animal fat analogue, emphasizing sustainability aspects. Subsequently, the review focuses on the most recent advances in upstream methodologies, particularly fermentation strategies that promote circularity, such as waste valorisation, co-cultivation and co-product biosynthesis. Downstream processing methods for minimising energy consumption and waste generation, including bioflocculation energy-efficient and environmentally friendly cell lysis and extraction, and integrated co-product recovery methods, are discussed. Finally, the current challenges are outlined. Integrating these strategies advances sustainable yeast lipid production for high-value applications.