The development of an industrial process to produce AC γ-linolenic acid using Choanephora cucurbitarum

Abstract

The objective of this work was to produce γ-linolenic acid (γLA) using a fungus in submerged fermentation. Selection work was aimed at identifying a fungal strain capable of yielding a high level of γLA in an industrial fermentation. Thirty-nine fungal strains were screened under shake flask conditions. The major criteria used in evaluating these strains were, the yield of γLA per unit volume (g/l) and γLA as a percentage of fatty acids, which is important in the downstream processing of γLA . Other parameters of industrial importance such as strain handling and the fatty acid profile were also considered. Eleven fungi in the order Phycomycetes were identified after initial screening. From these fungi, a strain of Choanephora cucurbitarum was found to give superior γLA yields. c. cucurbitarum produced γLA yields of 331mg/l and 674mg/l in shake flask and laboratory fermenters respectively. This strain had other industrially beneficial qualities such as good sporulation, a good biomass of 22, 5g/l and a relatively high yield of γLA of 2,99g/100g dry matter. Subsequently a Zygorhynchus heterogamus strain was found to give similar yields of γLA to c. cucurbitarum. z. heterogamus also had a high γLA : linoleic acid ratio which aids the purification of γLA . This is the first known report of a high level of γLA in the genus Zygorhynchus. The industrial development of γLA production by Zygorhynchus is not reported.