Development and Production of High-Oleic Palm Oil Alternative by Fermentation of Microalgae

The development of high-oleic palm oil alternatives through microbial fermentation offers a sustainable solution to the environmental challenges associated with traditional palm oil cultivation. In this study, Prototheca moriformis microalgae strain was optimized via classical strain improvement techniques to produce high-oleic oil with a fatty acid and triacylglycerol (TAG) profile similar to conventional high-oleic palm oil. Iterative rounds of mutagenesis and screening enhanced the palmitic acid content from 28 to 30-32% and oleic acid from 60 to 55-57% of total fatty acids, with an oil yield of 136.5 g/L and an oil content of 69.45% of dry cell weight. The scalability of this process was demonstrated across fermentation scales ranging from 1 L to 50 L. The TAG profile showed elevated unsaturated TAG species, meeting the quality and nutritional requirements of industrial applications. These findings highlight the potential of microbial systems to address the growing demand for high-value nutritional oils while alleviating the environmental and socio-economic impacts of tropical oil crop cultivation. The application of P. moriformis fermentation provides a transformative approach to advancing sustainability and resilience in global fats and oils production.