ABSTRACT
This chapter proposes an integrated process of mass production of low-cost Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA)-enriched biomass with a focus on the filamentous algal strains belonging to the genus of Tribonema. Tribonema is often found in fresh water bodies such as ponds and ditches. The biomass of Tribonema contains mainly sugars, protein and lipids. The carbohydrate in the biomass is mainly polysaccharide, which can be of value in nutrition, health care products and cosmetics. The chapter presents the application of EPA-enriched algal biomass from the filamentous algae to show the feasibility of its commercial application. The utilization of biomass was based on the chemical profiling, for example EPA-containing biomass as feed ingredient; similarly, polysaccharide rich biomass for utility as cosmetic ingredient; whereas the lipid induced biomass for use in extraction of oil for biofuel and EPA production. The chapter examines the feasibility of using urea to replace NaNO3 as a more cost-effective nitrogen source for industrial production.
