ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a update on the uses and potentialities of Dunaliella salina and its importance for carotenoids and for use in health foods and as nutraceutical products. Carotenoids play an important role in providing light-harvesting pigments that are involved in the collection and transfer of light energy to chlorophyll for photosynthesis. Among the carotenoids found in nature, β-carotene is perhaps the most important and the best-known carotenoid of importance to human health. Consequently, clinical trials on the effects of carotenoids on human health have been focused mostly on β-carotene. Generally, carotenoids extracted from microalgae, such as β-carotene from Dunaliella salina, are considered to be eco-friendly colorants. The higher consumer and market demand for natural sources of β-carotene has promoted biotechnological production from Dunaliella salina and D. Consequently, the utilization of β-carotene from Dunaliella is in demand in food, animal feed, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and cosmeceutical applications.
