Filamentous ascomycetes fungi as a source of natural pigments

Table 1 Pigment production by Neurospora spp. using different experimental set-ups

Ascomycete	Substrate	Mode of operation^b	Pigment(s)	λ _max (nm)^a	Pigment extraction solvent	Production	References
Neurospora crassa	60% tapioca by product and 40% tofu waste	SSF	β-Carotene (yellow-orange)	429, 452, 478	THF	295 µg/g	[13, 38, 39]
Neurospora crassa 74-OR23-1A	Vogel’s minimal broth	SmF, in 500-mL Erlenmeyer flask	Neurosporaxanthin	477	Acetone	–	[23, 40]
Neurospora crassa	Not defined medium with addition of 1% Bacto-Difco agar	Fernbach flasks (200 ml) for 15 days, followed by 1 day in plastic tent (oxygen atmosphere) (SSF)	Neurosporaxanthin	477.5, 504 (in petroleum ether), 471.5, 496 (in acetone)	Acetone, petroleum ether	0.33 mg/g dry weight	[22, 23]
Neurospora sitophila	Not defined medium with addition of 1 g/l Bacto-Difco yeast extract	Aerated flasks for 6 days, wet mycelial was then placed on petri dishes in a transparent plastic tent for 1 day. (SSF)	Neurosporaxanthin	477 (petroleum ether)	Methanol, petroleum ether	0.04 mg/g dry weight	[22, 23]
Neurospora intermedia N-1	Maltose, peptone, yeast extract, Mg²⁺ fermentationmedia	SmF* in 1 l Erlenmeyer flask	Yellow-orange	480	1 g of spores was extracted with 5 ml of acetone	24.31 µg/g spores	[9]
Neurospora intermedia (PTCC 5291)	Vogel’s growth medium	SmF* in 250 ml Erlenmeyer flasks	Mixture of carotenoids	470	50 mg dried mycelia were extracted in 3 ml methanol, re-extracted with 3 ml of acetone	500 mg/l	[36]

^aTotal carotenoids content is determined by spectral absorption at specific wavelengths maxima depending on which solvent the carotenoids are extracted in. The absorbance value correlates to the amount of carotenoids present in the samples
^bSolid-state fermentation (SSF), submerged fermentation (SmF)

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