The lutein market has primarily relied on marigold flower extraction, which faces challenges like supply instability and quality variability due to environmental factors. A new, high-value alternative is precision-fermented lutein, developed by a team led by Professor Sang Yup Lee at KAIST.
Daebong Life Science (LS), a pharmaceutical and cosmetics company, is now transferring this microbial technology for industrial use and leading a national R&D initiative under Korea’s Bio-Industry Technology Development Program. This project involves collaboration with GS Caltex, SilicoBio, and Dankook University to create biomanufacturing processes for producing lutein.
This innovative fermentation method promises stable production and improved quality standards, responding to increasing demands for high-quality natural materials. Researchers have engineered the bacterium Corynebacterium glutamicum to enhance lutein biosynthesis, yielding significant increases in production.
The project, with a budget of approximately KRW 5 billion (USD 3.4 million), will run from June 2026 to December 2030, aiming to develop a comprehensive value chain in microbial-source technology and global commercialization. Various partners will contribute their expertise, ensuring a robust and effective production process for the new lutein.
