초록
<P>The oleaginous yeast <I>Rhodotorula minuta</I> has been used previously as a biocide agent and for the production of β‐carotene. In addition, <I>R. minuta</I> has been shown to produce up to 40% lipids, while demonstrating a faster growth rate than the similar oleaginous yeasts; <I>Lipomyces starkeyii</I> and <I>R. glutinis</I>. In this study, this promising yeast was evaluated for its potential to produce glyceride lipids under the harsh conditions and complex sugar mixtures produced from depolymerised lignocellulose. The fatty acid profile of <I>R. minuta</I> was not found to change significantly irrespective of the environmental conditions and contained approximately 20% palmitic acid, 5% stearic acid, 60% oleic acid and 15% linolenic acid. <I>R. minuta</I> was found to grow on a range of sugars, and could consume xylose and glucose when both sugars were present; however, <I>R. minuta</I> was found to be highly sensitive to inhibitors, such as furfurals and organic acids, formed under the harsh lignocellulose depolymerisation conditions. Accordingly <I>R. minuta</I> did not grow well on biomass depolymerised with an acid pre‐treatment stage. However, <I>R. minuta</I> was cultured successfully on food waste depolymerised with no additional acids, producing up to 19 g/l cell mass with a lipid content of up to 25% of the dry cell weight.</P><P><B>Practical applications:</B> While high oil productivity, fast growth rates and a suitable fatty acid composition are key traits for the economic viability of SCO production, it is essential that the organism can be cultured and produce lipids from low‐cost substrates. This requires the ability to assimilate the nutrients present in the desired hydrolysate, as well as maintain high‐growth rates in the presence of inhibitory compounds produced during the hydrolysis process. In this paper, we demonstrate that the yeast <I>R. minuta</I> has industrial applicability in being able to convert depolymerised waste food to lipids with a profile akin to rapeseed oil.</P><P><I>Rhodotorula minuta</I> lipid cultured on depolymerised food waste.</P>