Microbial lipids as potential source to food supplements

• PUFAs are essentials for human health but are not synthesized and must be supplied by food.
• Sources of PUFAs are vegetables or fishes but alternatives sources are possible.
• Microorganisms (yeasts, fungi, microalgae and Thraustochytrids) can produce PUFAs.
• Microbial lipids production needs to be improved essentially by the mode of culture.
• Recent development in metabolic engineering improves microbial lipids production.

For centuries, men have used microorganisms for their activities and abilities to produce metabolites of interest such as antibiotics or pigments. Lipids are now under the spotlight as applications can be found in several domains such as in biofuels. Lipids formed by microorganisms can also be interesting from a dietary point of view, as some microorganisms (yeast, fungi, microalgae and Thraustochytrids) are able to produce polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). These PUFAs, such as those belonging to the omega-3 and omega-6 series, are known for their benefits to human health. The use of microorganisms represents a promising way to produce PUFAs at lower cost and with a higher yield. This manuscript discusses various potent microorganisms for single cell oils production designed for the dietary domain.