Biotechnology as a useful tool for nutritional improvement of cereal-based materials enriched with polyunsaturated fatty acids and pigments

The fungi Thamnidium elegans , as a producer of γ-linolenic acid (GLA), and Mortierella alpina , as a producer of dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (DGLA), arachidonic acid (AA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and the yeasts Rhodotorula glutinis and Sporobolomyces roseus , as producers of ß-carotene, torulene and torularhodin, were tested for their ability to utilize cereal substrates during solid state fermentations (SSF). Depending on the strain and conditions, the cereal materials were effectively enriched with polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) or carotenoids. These naturally prepared bioproducts could find applications in food, feed, biomedical, pharmaceutical and veterinary fields.