PRODUCTION OF ASTAXANTHIN-CONTAINING HEMATOCOCCUS

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To industrially produce the subject algae rich in astaxanthin by culturing algae Hematococcus by two-stage culture method so as to diminish the adverse effect of predators or parasites in an outdoor culture pond. SOLUTION: This algae is produced by the following procedure: algae Hematococcus is proliferated in a closed-type culture unit and then cultured in an outdoor culture pond to produce and accumulate astaxanthin in the Hematococcus; the culture operation is completed before predators or parasites for the Hematococcus contaminate the culture pond and is proliferated therein; preferably, a C-medium for freshwater algae is placed in a tank-type culture unit and adjusted to pH 7-8 with acetic acid (salt) and then subjected to high- pressure steam sterilization; subsequently, Hematococcus is inoculated into the medium and subjected to submerged culture at 25-28 deg.C while keeping the medium at pH 7-8. It is recommended that, in the outdoor culture pond, the Hematococcus is transferred into the sterilized pond 10-30 cm deep free from any nitrogen source and cultured at the initial Hematococcus concentration of 5-20 gDCW/m2.