Júlio Gabriel Oliveira de Lima

Natural colorants derived from filamentous fungi have gained increasing attention as safe, sustainable, and bioactive alternatives to synthetic counterparts. This study evaluated the red colorant production by Talaromyces sp. under solid and static submerged culture conditions, focusing on the selection of carbon and nitrogen sources and the influence of the inoculum’s physiological state. In solid-state cultivation, oat-based medium and Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) supplemented with glycine (PDAG) promoted intense sporulation and red–yellow pigmentation, whereas sugar-rich media, specifically Yeast Extract Sucrose (YES) and Sabouraud Agar, led to rapid mycelial growth but reduced sporulation. Radial growth rates ranged from 0.295 to 0.391 cm/day, depending on the growth medium. YES medium supported the fastest growth; however, it was ineffective in promoting colorant induction when used as an inoculum source for liquid culture. Under static submerged fermentation conditions, inoculum derived from PDAG and PDA supplemented with yeast extract (PDA + YE) produced the highest colorant titers, highlighting that the inoculum developmental stage is a key determinant in activating azaphilone colorant biosynthesis. Additionally, commercial sucrose and sugarcane juice were identified as the most effective carbon sources, outperforming lignocellulosic hydrolysates from sugarcane bagasse, rice, and corn. A preliminary economic analysis estimated production costs ranging from US$ 3.11 to US$ 3.34 per liter of colorant. A Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis revealed key strengths such as high colorant productivity, alongside significant opportunities in the natural ingredients market. Overall, these findings underscore the technical and economic potential of Talaromyces-based biocolorant production, positioning it as a sustainable and competitive alternative to synthetic colorants.

Demand for natural red colorants has increased due to regulatory and consumer pressure to replace synthetic additives; however, their industrial application remains limited by challenges related to production, stability, and safety. In this study, the production, physicochemical stability, antimicrobial activity, and preliminary cytotoxicity of an azaphilone-type red colorant produced by Talaromyces sp. C1I3 under submerged fermentation were evaluated. Two sequential Box–Behnken designs identified optimal production conditions at approximately pH 5.8, 60 rpm, and 15.15 g·L⁻¹ monosodium glutamate. Under these conditions, colorant production increased from 1.46 AU_500nm on day 5 to 9.9 AU_500nm on day 10, with estimated kinetic parameters of µmax 0.0109 h⁻¹ and Yx/s 0.63 g·g⁻¹. The colorant showed high thermal stability, retaining approximately 95% of its color after heating at 80 °C for 10 min, and remained stable over a broad pH range, with only 18% degradation after 168 h of light exposure. No significant antimicrobial activity was detected, indicating that the colorant primarily functions as a color additive without additional bioactive effects. Furthermore, no acute cytotoxicity was observed in human neonatal dermal fibroblasts at concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 15 µg·mL⁻¹. These findings demonstrate the potential of this fungal colorant as a stable and safe natural colorant for future industrial applications.

O processo de secagem ocorre a partir da passagem de ar quente sobre o alimento arrastando a umidade deste consigo, fisicamente por causa da transferência de massa e energia para o meio. A abóbora, é um alimento rico em água, vitamina B, C e carotenoides, presentes no alimento em si e semente, este último é um resíduo no momento do consumo do fruto que ao ser desidratada pode ser reintroduzida na alimentação humana via farinha, pães, biscoitos e bolos. Para o processo foi necessário previamente a assepsia do material biológico e pesagem para ida a estufa nas temperaturas de 70°C e 80°C, em seguida foi pesado nos tempos de (5-10-15-30-60-120-180) min e depois 24h. Pode-se identificar uma variação inicial na temperatura até os primeiros 60min da operação devido à evaporação de substâncias voláteis e equilíbrio térmico da superfície da abóbora com o meio, além da observação de maior perda de água na temperatura de 80°C, no valor de 56,19%. Por grande concentração final de umidade no produto, sugere-se maior tempo de desidratação ou modificação metodológica para se obter maior taxa de desidratação.