Kinetic studies on the yeast Phaffia rhodozyma

The yeast Phaffia rhodozyma, a promising microbial producer of the carotenoid astaxanthin, was cultivated in batch and continuous processes in an agitated and aerated fermenter using an acid peat extract ‐ based culture medium. For the accelerated growth phase, the mean specific growth rate and doubling time were found to be 0.038 h−1, and 18.24 hours, respectively. The production of astaxanthin was found to be basically growth associated, the maximum concentrations of the pigment produced in batch culture and continuous cultivation being similar.