Color is an essential attribute guiding consumers’ perception, acceptance and appreciation of food
products. While chemical pigments are cheap, in recent years they have come under increased
scrutiny because of indications for possible unwanted health effects and their petrochemical origin.
While plant pigments can be used, they are more expensive, restricted by geographic and climate
conditions and may compete with plant’s use as food. This research proposal aims to develop
alternative natural bacterial pigments for food and feed applications. Initial data on our research
collection of bacteria indicate a colorful diversity of pigments is produced by strains from a wide
range of sources. The natural function of these pigments in bacteria is often antioxidant,
antimicrobial or UV-protective, which can provide added benefits in food/feed applications. We aim to
extend and document the collection of pigmented bacteria, including genomic information and
properties of the pigments relevant for food/feed production. In consultation with industrial partners
and consumers, we will select several pigmented bacterial strains that will be developed as test cases
for food application. This will involve extensive characterization of the strains, optimizing biomass
and pigment production, purification of the pigments and application in the production of the selected
food and feed products. In case valuable pigments would be produced by strains that are difficult to
grow or have undesirable properties, synthetic biology will be used to produce the pigment in a
convenient well-known host. For some applications where the protein content may provide added
benefits, the use of colored biomass will be explored as an alternative to purified pigments. The use
of side streams for feedstock, can contribute to circular production. Ultimately a successful project
can be the basis for developing a spinoff company focused on developing bacterial pigments for the
food/feed industry.