Integrated bioprocess of microbial lipids production in Yarrowia lipolytica using food-waste derived volatile fatty acids

The ability of Yarrowia lipolytica to assimilate volatile fatty acids (VFAs) generated during the acidogenic fermentation of food waste (FW) and to accumulate intracellular lipids was investigated in single and two-stage batch (TSC) cultures. The TSC strategy, where the growth phase in FW-derived VFAs was followed by the lipogenic phase in crude glycerol resulted in a 10-fold improvement of intracellular lipids accumulation comparatively to the single batch culture. The biotechnological process proposed herein is a reliable and sustainable option for the combined valorization of food waste - via production of VFAs by acidogenesis - and crude glycerol. The integration of an anaerobic and aerobic process generates a value chain from wastes and by-products to microbial lipids production. Furthermore, microbial lipids produced by Y. lipolytica NCYC 2904 from FW-derived VFAs and crude glycerol have a composition similar to vegetable oils (C16C18 fatty acids), making them suitable feedstocks for the biodiesel industry.This study was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UIDB/04469/2020 unit and Doctoral grant (SFRH/BD/129592/2017); by LABBELS – Associate Laboratory in Biotechnology, Bioengineering and Microelectromechanical Systems, LA/P/0029/2020; by SALTIPHA project (PTDC/BTA-BTA/30902/2017), under the funding program 02/SAICT/2017-Projetos de Investigação Científica e Desenvolvimento Tecnológico (IC&DT) with reference NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-030902), by BIOECONORTE project (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000070) under the funding program NORTE-45-2020-75 - Sistema de Apoio à Investigação Científica e Tecnológica -“Projetos Estruturados de I&D&I” - HORIZONTE EUROPA.