Table 1.
Typical composition of H. pluvialis biomass in green and red cultivation stages.
| Composition content (% of DW) | Green stage | Red stage |
|---|---|---|
| Proteins | 29–45 | 17–25 |
| Lipids (% of total) | 20–25 | 32–37 |
| Neutral lipids | 59 | 51.9–53.5 |
| Phospholipids | 23.7 | 20.6–21.1 |
| Glycolipids | 11.5 | 25.7–26.5 |
| Carbohydrates | 15–17 | 36–40 |
| Carotenoids (% of total) | 0.5 | 2–5 |
| Neoxanthin | 8.3 | n.d |
| Violaxanthin | 12.5 | n.d |
| β-carotene | 16.7 | 1.0 |
| Lutein | 56.3 | 0.5 |
| Zeaxanthin | 6.3 | n.d |
| Astaxanthin (including esters) | n.d | 81.2 |
| Adonixanthin | n.d | 0.4 |
| Adonirubin | n.d | 0.6 |
| Canthaxanthin | n.d | 5.1 |
| Echinenone | n.d | 0.2 |
| Chlorophylls | 1.5–2 | 0 |
Adapted from Grewe and Griehl (2012). n.d., no data.