Forestry waste can be turned into a high-value fatty acid, thanks to a bright red yeast engineered by University of Alberta researchers.
Using wood-derived sugar as a feedstock, the strain, developed from a yeast called Rhodosporidium toruloides, proved capable of producing punicic acid.
The discovery offers potential economic wins for the forestry and food industries, says study co-author Guanqun Chen, associate professor in the Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences and Canada Research Chair in Plant Lipid Biotechnology.
