Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) production by Mortierella alpina ATCC 32222

Mortierella alpina ATCC 32222 grew well at 11 degrees C, as well as at 25 degrees C in a liquid medium containing glucose or linseed oil and yeast extract. High Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) yield was obtained at 11 degrees C. M. alpina cells did not produce EPA at 25 degrees C in the absence of linseed oil, whereas at 11 degrees C, EPA accumulation was noted in the absence of linseed oil. When grown at 11 degrees C for 10 d in a medium containing 2% linseed oil as carbon source, the mycelium yielded 435 mg/L EPA (20 mg EPA/g dry mycelia) with 5.1% in lipid fraction. By gradually increasing the concentration of linseed oil to 4%, yield of biomass and EPA were increased to 43 g/L and 596 mg/L, respectively.