Astaxanthin preparation by lipase-catalyzed hydrolysis of its esters from Haematococcus pluvialis algal extracts.

Five of 8 fungal lipases screened were found to effectively hydrolyze astaxanthin esters from Haematococcus pluvialis algal cell extracts. Among these, an alkaline lipase from Penicillium cyclopium, expressed in Pichia pastoris, had the highest enzymolysis efficiency. Tween80 was shown to be an effective emulsifier in this lipase hydrolysis system for the 1st time. A series of experiments were performed to find optimal conditions for hydrolysis (pH, temperature, reaction time, lipase dosage). In the optimal reaction system, Tween80 and H. pluvialis extracts (mass ratio 1:1) were emulsified and added to the above lipase at a dosage of 4.6 U/μg (relative to total carotenoids), in phosphate buffer (0.1 M, pH 7.0), and incubated at 28 °C for 7 h, with agitation at 180 rpm. The free astaxanthin recovery ratio under these conditions was 63.2%.