Mikrobiyal Karotenoidler

Abstract

The controversial topic of synthetic dyes in food has been discussed for many years. The negative assessment of synthetic food dyes by the
modern consumer have raised a strong interest in natural colouring alternatives. Carotenoids are natural pigments responsible for colors ranging from
yellow through orange to red, and are biosynthesized in all photosynthetic organisms, including cyanobacteria, photosynthetic bacteria belonging to
Alphaproteobacteria, algae, and higher plants, and also in some non-photosynthetic bacteria, yeasts, and fungi. Several carotenoid pigments have
been used commercially as food colorants and as animal feed additives in poultry farming and aquaculture. Therefore, carotenoids are also being
used for cosmetic properties. Carotenoids are pigments which play a major role in the protection of plants against photooxidative processes. In the
human organism, carotenoids are part of the antioxidant defense system. In photosynthetic organisms, in addition to ligth harvesting, they perform
an essential role in protecting against light-induced damage by quenching singlet oxygen, superoxide anion radicals, or triplet-state chlorophyll. In
these cyanobacteria, various carotenoids have been identified. A photoprotective role has also been suggested for carotenoids in non-photosynthetic
bacteria. This review provides an overview of microbial carotenoids.