Patent ID: 8404468

Claim:
A method for producing astaxanthin using a Hematococcus pluvialis micro-organism comprising the steps of: (a) culturing in a medium under conditions for induction of carotenogenesis a noraflurazon-resistant mutant of wild-type Hematococcus pluvialis , wherein the mutant is capable of producing astaxanthin with a volumetric yield of 1.5-fold to 3.0-fold compared to wild type Hematococcus pluvialis within three days of induction of carotenogenesis, and (b) recovering or isolating the astaxanthin from the medium where carotenogenesis was induced, and/or from the mutant micro-organism or parts thereof, by extraction; and/or by centrifugation; and/or by disrupting isolated cells of the mutant micro-organism or parts thereof by chemical, enzymatic and/or physical treatment; and/or by homogenization of the mutant cells and/or the mutant micro-organism or parts thereof, or from cell debris; and/or by lyophilisation of the mutant micro-organism or parts thereof.