FP7-METAPRO

Claudia

The development of tools and effective strategies for the optimisation of useful secondary METAbolite PROduction in planta

(2010-2013)

http://isoprenoids.eu

Aims and objectives: To optimize the production of several useful isoprenoid derived secondary metabolites to demonstrate the tools and strategies developed for the genetic production of useful metabolites such as astaxanthin (ketocarotenoids) and apocarotenoids ( crocin), to demonstrate the application of the technologies adopted and developed. These products are of high-value and used in the industrial and health sectors.

 

Project Institutional coordinator: Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham Hill, UK

Coordinator: Prof. Dr. Paul FRASER

Centre for Systems and Synthetic Biology (CSSB)

School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham Hill, UK

 

METAPRO Partners:

  1. Max Planck Gesellschaft zut Foerderung der Wissenschaften E.V. DE
  2. Agenzia Nationale per le Nuove Technologie, L’Energia e lor Sviuppo Economico Sustenabile, Rome, IT
  3. Scottish Crop Research Institute, UK
  4. Albert Ludwigs Universitae Freiburg, DE
  5. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, IL
  6. Metapontum Agrobios SRL, IT

 

  1. BIODIATECH- Proplanta SRL, RO

 

OUR RESULTS:

  • Fingerprinting different carotenoid-rich strains of tomatoes (wild and genetically modified varieties, rich in ketocarotenoids)
Specific absorption spectra of carotenoids extracted from tomatoes rich in beta-carotene (left), lycopene and ketocarotenoids (right).

 

  • Preparation of different formulations ( wet microcapsules or freeze dried powders) from the carotenoid – enriched fractions containing astaxanthin, keto-carotenoids, beta-carotene or lycopene)
Different microcapsule formulations enriched in carotenoids

 

Freeze drying technology to obtain rich-keto carotenoid powders for feed and food applications

 

 

  • Characterization of the new formulas by UV-Vis spectroscopy and HPLC: stability studies

Best stability for ketocarotenoid-rich formulas ( after 1 year storage in salted water)

Good stability of microcapsules in see water and the specific absorption of ketocarotenoids