An approach of new and sustainable uses for by-products generated in the wine production industry, one of the agro-food sectors of importance, has been studied. Wine lees, a sediment obtained in different processes of decantation of wine, have been used to produce biomass of microalgae enriched in carotenoids as high added value biomolecules. Experiments to incorporate chemical components of wine lees into microalgae biomass to understand the effect of these residues on the growth and biosynthesis of carotenoids into commercial microalgae Chlorella sorokiniana have been done. Algae culture system has been optimized and preparation of culture media have been obtained by extracting in water the soluble nutrients contained in the lees at different concentrations between 5% and 50% p/v. Optimal growth was obtained using extraction of wine residues at 5% and 10% w/v. At 10 % oxidative stress, measured as carotenoids production (specially lutein) and antioxidant activity (DPPH method), was more intense than the obtained using residues at 5%. Our results show that growth in culture media prepared with wine lees extracts at 10% stimulated the antioxidant activity and the production of carotenoids in C. sorokiniana cells. Preliminary information, not only to produce sustainable growth media for biomass of microalgae enriched in high value molecules, but also to reuse nutrients contained in wine industry by-products what is of particular interest in the context of a circular economy is provided.
Funding: This research was funded by PROGRAMA OPERATIVO FEDER ANDALUCIA (Spain) 2014-2020. Proyectos de I+D+I., grant number UHU-1265804.