Director Biotechnology Scouting DSM Mount Airy, MD, United States
Abstract: The long-chained polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; C20:5 n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; C22:6 n-3) have important benefits for brain, eye, and heart health. Fish oil has traditionally been the primary source of EPA and DHA, but with the rising demand for LC-PUFAs as well as the impact of commercial fishing and customer trends toward non-animal derived products, the production of PUFAs via fermentation has gained significant attention as an alternative. Thraustochytrid-type organisms have been used to produce LC-PUFAs due to their production of biomass, lipid, and LC-PUFA to high levels in industrialized processes. While these organisms have been established to be robust producers of DHA, they have not been described to produce EPA at significant levels. At DSM, we have discovered, developed, and commercialized a non-GMO Schizochytrium strain that co-produces both DHA and EPA at levels that can match and exceed the levels found in fish oils. Data related to DSM’s development and commercialization of this strain as well as the history, status, and prospects of microbial EPA production will be presented.
