Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) production from microorganisms: a review

Eicosapentaenoic acid EPA has been shown to be of major importance in the prevention and treatment of a range of human diseases and disorders. At present fish oil is the only source of EPA that is considered unattractive because it contains substantial amounts of undesirable fatty acids and cholesterol. Consequently, alternative sources of EPA are being sought, especially from algae and from fungi of the order Mucorales. This review presents information about EPA producing microorganisms, data on the production and recovery aspects along with the potential of microorganisms as commercial sources of EPA.