# Cold-Adapted Fungi: Goldmine of Biomolecules Applicable in Industry
## 4 Biotechnological Application of Psychrophilic Fungi in Food and Agriculture
### Pigments
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{l c c} \hline \hline \multicolumn{1}{c}{**Pigment**} & **Source** & **Additional Activities** \\ \hline \multicolumn{3}{l}{**Carotenoids**} \\ \hline astaxanthin, phoenicoxanthin, & \multicolumn{1}{c}{_Xanthophyllomyces dendrohous_[125]} & Photoprotective role \\ \(\beta\)-carotene & & \\ \hline tangeraxanthin, & \multicolumn{1}{c}{_Penicillium_ sp. GBPL\_P155 [126]} & Cryoprotection \\
4-ketonostoxanthin & \multicolumn{1}{c}{_Diosezgia_ sp. [127]} & UV-C radiation tolerance, antimicrobial \\ \hline torulene, lycopene & \multicolumn{1}{c}{_Rhodotorula laryngis_[125]} & \\ \hline torulene, \(\gamma\)-carotene, lycopene & \multicolumn{1}{c}{_Rhodotorula mucilaginous_[125]} & UV-C radiation tolerance \\ \hline
2-\(\gamma\)-carotene & \multicolumn{1}{c}{_Cryptococcus gastricus_[116]} & \\ \hline
2,3 dihydroxy-\(\gamma\)-carotene, & \multicolumn{1}{c}{_Sporobolomyces salmonicolor_[128]} & \\ \(\beta\)-carotene, 4-ketotorulene, torulene & \multicolumn{1}{c}{_Collophora_ sp. [128]} & UV protection \\ \hline \(\beta\)-carotene, 4-ketotorulene, & \multicolumn{1}{c}{_Sporobolomyces metaroseus_[127]} & \\ \(\beta\)-cryptoxanthin, spirilloxanthin & \multicolumn{1}{c}{_Sporobolomyces metaroseus_[127]} & \\ \hline \multicolumn{3}{l}{**Mycosporines**} \\ \hline  & \multicolumn{1}{c}{_Rhodotorula laryngis_[116]} & \\  & \multicolumn{1}{c}{_Diosezgia_ sp. [116]} & \\  & \multicolumn{1}{c}{_Mrakia_ sp. [116]} & \\  & \multicolumn{1}{c}{_Leucosporidium creatinora_[116]} & UV-radiation protection \\  & \multicolumn{1}{c}{_Leuconeurospora_ sp. [116]} & Antioxidant \\  & \multicolumn{1}{c}{_Cryptococcus_ sp. [116]} & \\  & \multicolumn{1}{c}{_Torrubiella_ sp. [116]} & \\ \hline \multicolumn{3}{l}{**Melanins**} \\ \hline
1,8-dihydroxyoxynaphthalene, & \multicolumn{1}{c}{_Cryomyces antarcticus_[129]} & Protection against UV, \\ L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine & \multicolumn{1}{c}{_Friedmannismyces endolidhictus_[130]} & Antioxidant, \\  & \multicolumn{1}{c}{_Cryomyces minterii_[129]} & Antimicrobial \\ \hline \multicolumn{3}{l}{**Unidentified**} \\ \hline Blue pigment & \multicolumn{1}{c}{_Antarctomyces pellizariae_[23]} & Cryoprotection \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 3: Pigments identified in psychrophilic and psychrotolerant fungi published in the last 10 years. coloring substances, including, for example, aquarium feeds and those used on a large scale in salmon farming [124]. Melanin is a distinctive class of insoluble pigments that exhibit amorphous characteristics. Its production involves the polymerization of phenolic and indolic compounds [134]. Melanin is synthesized by black fungi, which are ubiquitous in a variety of extreme environments, including cold ecological niches. These include yeast-like fungi _Cryomyces antarcticus_, _Cryomyces minterii_, and _Friedmannomyces endolithicus_[113]. Melanin possesses several beneficial properties, including photoprotective, osmoprotective, antioxidant, and antimicrobial characteristics. These properties represent significant added value. Therefore, melanin has the potential to be incorporated into food products as a coloring agent, extending their shelf life by inhibiting lipid peroxidation [135]. However, the use of this pigment on an industrial scale is constrained by certain limitations, especially in the context of structure-property-function relationships for the use of psychrophilic strains [129]. It is also established that cold-resistant fungi are capable of producing mycosporines or mycosporine amino acids, mycosporine-like amino acids (MAA), which exhibit a slight pink coloration. These compounds are capable of absorbing UV radiation within the 310-365 nm range and are predominantly composed of an amino-cyclohexenimine ring linked to an amino acid, amino alcohol, or amino group [128]. They also possess antioxidant and antiinflammatory activity. Given their properties, these substances have the potential to be used as additives in sunscreens and may also have anti-cancer properties.