Rhodotorula glutinis as source of pigments and metabolites for food industry

Rhodotorula glutinis is a pigmented yeast, part of the Basidiomycota phylum, particularly important for food industries because its biotechnological potential and safety implications. Various strains of Rhodotorula present important features such as the production of large amounts of carotenoids, single-cell proteins from ethanol, acetic acid and acetaldehyde. This review describes and discusses the biology and biotechnology of Rhodotorula glutinis, focusing on development, microbial physiology and biochemical pathways, as well as fermentation systems for commercially viable industrial scale production of pigments.