Potencial de biomassas de leveduras oleaginosas para aplicação em análogos cárneos: análise integrada de lipídeos e ácidos graxos

Abstract

Oleaginous yeasts have been investigated as a sustainable alternative for obtaining lipids and biomass with potential application in foods, including meat analogue products. In this context, this study aimed to evaluate oleaginous yeasts cultivated on low-cost substrates, with emphasis on crude glycerol, as a source of lipids and proteins for application in meat analogues. For this purpose, the cultivation conditions were optimized and the fatty acid profile of the biomasses was compared with bovine meats. The strains Yarrowia lipolytica CCMA 0357 and Cystofilobasidium ferigula CCMA 1623 were cultivated and characterized in terms of biomass and lipid production, in addition to the determination of total proteins in the dry biomass. Under the optimized conditions, a lipid content of 51.79% was observed for Y. lipolytica and 63.12% for C. ferigula. Additionally, the microbial biomasses demonstrated potential as a protein source, with 16.4 ± 0.1% (w/w) total proteins for Y. lipolytica and 12.1 ± 0.1% (w/w) for C. ferigula. The fatty acid profile analysis, comparatively evaluated by heatmap, showed that the major fatty acids in meats and yeasts were palmitic (C16:0) and stearic (C18:0), while myristic (C14:0), linoleic (C18:2), and oleic (C18:1) acids appeared in lower proportions; however, myristic acid stood out in meats, whereas linoleic acid was more abundant in yeasts. Taken together, the results reinforce the potential of using agro-industrial residues for the sustainable generation of microbial biomass and lipids, supporting the application of oleaginous yeasts as promising platforms for the development of meat analogues. As a future step, it is recommended to further evaluate the lipid profile through oxidative stability tests and to validate performance in food formulations.