Single cell oils from oleaginous yeasts and metabolic engineering for potent cultivated lipids: A review with food application perspectives

Single Cell Oils (SCO), produced by oleaginous yeasts, are emerging as a promising alternative to traditional edible lipids due to their ability to minimise environmental impact and their high capacity for oil accumulation. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the advancements and future prospects in SCO production, with a particular focus on its role as a sustainable and nutritionally valuable lipid alternative. An important advantage of SCO production is its ecological sustainability, as it can utilise various substrates, including agricultural and industrial byproducts. However, to address the low recovery efficiency caused by inadequate biomass yield, several strategies have been proposed, including process optimisation and non-metabolic/metabolic engineering approaches. Effective recovery of lipids also requires the optimisation of downstream processes, particularly the disruption of cellular structures through the integration of sonication, thermal, acid/alkaline treatments, and glass bead-assisted homogenisation. Despite its potential, there is currently limited empirical research on the application of SCO in food technology, especially in terms of assessing their safety for human consumption. For SCO to become viable alternatives in food processing, challenges such as economic competitiveness with traditional food ingredients, technological feasibility, toxicological safety, and consumer acceptance must be addressed.<p></p>