Method for the production of beta-carotene

In a process for the production of beta-carotene that comprises the stages of:

• (1) fermentation of a biomass based on mucor fungi as a submerged culture in a culture medium;
• (2) separation of the biomass;
• (3) purification of the biomass by removal of lipophilic components other than carotenoids by means of extraction with alcohol;
• (4) drying the biomass;
• (5) solid/liquid extraction of the carotenoids contained in the biomass with food-grade organic solvents;
• (6) concentration of an extract rich in carotenoids;
• (7) precipitation-crystallization of the carotenoids by means of the addition of alcohol;
• and
• (8) filtration and final drying to recover crystals comprising the beta carotene;
• the improvement comprising increasing the production of beta-carotene by reducing a content of gamma-carotene in the culture medium with respect to beta-carotene in the culture medium by conducting the fermentation in stage (1) in the presence of a percentage of soy lecithin and, after an initial growth stage in which the pH is allowed to evolve freely, adjusting the pH into the range 6.7-6.9 after fermentation has been proceeding for a period of between 24-36 hours, and thereafter continuing the fermentation, wherein the fermentation of the submerged culture is performed under aerobic conditions at a temperature of from 20 to 32° C., the mucor fungi belongs to the Blakeslea genus and the recovered crystals have a purity of beta-carotene of greater than 95% with a content of other carotenoids of less than 4%, and wherein the percentage of the soy lecithin in the culture medium combined with the adjustment of pH results in a resultant level of gamma-carotene with respect to beta-carotene in the culture medium being less than a level that could be achieved without the adjustment of pH, said resultant level being less than 4.4%.