ABSTRACT

Crocin is a valuable, water-soluble colorant (C20 apo-carotenoid) for potential use in food and also has potential health benefits. The traditional sources of crocin are the expensive spice saffron and mature gardenia fruits. Economic factors and season availability limit these sources. Thus, biotechnological approaches are underway in our laboratory as alternative means to produce this pigment. Callus cultures were induced from 1/2- ovaries of Gardenia jasminoides Ellis and maintained for more than three years. The use of promoters to increase crocin production in vitro and the selection of high producing cell lines were tested. Catalase (120 and 240 units/l) and ascorbic acid (75 mg/l) both appeared to promote accumulation of crocin. Preliminary results obtained with cell lines selected for high levels of yellow or orange also increased crocin several fold. Light affected both callus growth and crocin yield. While the optimized medium and environmental conditions for induction of callus, cell growth and formation of crocin were determined, the yield was lower than that found in ripe fruit.