Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Waste and Biomass Valorization, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
Cheese whey (CW) is a major by-product of the dairy industry with a significant environmental impact. It is an evaded material due to harmful environmental effects, but also an assessable feedstock due to potential use in different areas. In this study, CW was evaluated as a zero-cost nutrient rich medium for simultaneous production of intracellular carotenoids, lipids and extracellular riboflavin by Rhodotorula glutinis under exogenous stress conditions such as NaCl, methanol, H2O2 and illumination. Furthermore, the variations in carotenoid and lipid profiles and antioxidant properties were screened. The maximum total carotenoid content (165.07 µg/g) and riboflavin concentration (4.34 mg/L) were achieved using 3% NaCl and 10 mM H2O2, which were 19.23% and 43.17% higher than that of the control, respectively. The most produced carotenoid was β-carotene of which synthesis was promoted up to 56.06% by 3% NaCl. Torulene production was induced by methanol and illumination, whereas the amount of torularhodin decreased with all stress factors tested. Antioxidant activity and capacity of carotenogenic extracts increased up to 52.79% and 211.18 mM Trolox equivalent/g in 3% NaCl medium. The findings demonstrated that the stress factors markedly induced the simultaneous production of carotenoids and riboflavin by R. glutinis.