Microbial Pigments-A Short Review

Abstract

Color is the main feature of any food item as it enhances the appeal and acceptability of food. In the recent years, coloring of food with pigments produced from natural sources is of worldwide interest and is gaining importance. Several types of dyes are available in the market as colouring agents to food commodities but biocolorants are now gaining popularity and considerable significance due to consumer awareness because synthetic dyes cause severe health problems. Though many natural colors are available, microbial colorants play a significant role as food coloring agents, because of their production and easy down stream processing. Industrial production of natural food colorants by microbial fermentation has several advantages such as cheaper production, easier extraction, higher yields through strain improvement, no lack of raw materials and no seasonal variations.

Bio-Optics and Bio-Inspired Optical Materials

“…For example, the fungus Paecilomyces sinclairii biosynthesizes red pigments in amounts up to 4.73 g/L . Biochemical production of these pigments in high yields is achieved by the bioconversion of many different feedstock sources, i.e., agricultural waste, domestic compost, and environmental and industrial pollutants …”

“…Microorganisms are a natural and rich source of diverse pigments that strongly absorb light and offer different levels of coloration (Figure 3). 37 By comparison to plant and animal pigments, microbial-generated pigments exhibit higher water solubility and are more stable to light, heat, and pH. 38 Pigment coloration varies significantly across microorganisms and, in many cases, is a nonessential product of a biochemical pathway and a passive material property used to filter, protect, and/or manipulate light that is tangential to its genetically programmed function.…”

“…40 Biochemical production of these pigments in high yields is achieved by the bioconversion of many different feedstock sources, i.e., agricultural waste, domestic compost, and environmental and industrial pollutants. 37 Recently, the biochemistry and genetic basis of pigment production by microorganisms has provided new insights and clues to unfold the biological consequence/significance of pigment color beyond random coincidence. The use of coloration/pigmentation by microorganisms is believed to serve as an active warning signal, an indicator of virulence factor, and/or a signal of the pathogenic potential of microorganisms.…”

Isolation and characterization of pigment producing fungi

“…Microorganisms have many advantages for pigment production over plants and animals since their cells are much smaller and grow at a faster rate in inexpensive culture medium [9]. In addition, microorganisms have high productivity, and can yield a product throughout the year [10]. Moreover, Various microorganisms, such as algae, bacteria, fungi, and protozoa, produce natural pigments, such as carotenoids, flavins, melanin, quinines, monascin, phycocyanin, or indigo [11].…”

Applicability of Yellow Pigmented Microbe obtained from Indian Rock Python Fecal Sample as Bio-Ink

“…Pigmented bacteria exhibits both water soluble (diffuse into the medium) and insoluble pigments (Sarvamangala and Aparna, 2016); that may or may not be fluorescent. Multitudinous primary and secondary color shades (Tibor, 2007) with occasional light or dark tinges of even unusual colors like brown, golden and silver (Sahoo and Panigrahi, 2016) are exhibited by such microbes.…”