LEXINGTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Microbia, Inc., an emerging leader in the production of sustainable specialty ingredients and biomaterials, today announced that it has achieved an important milestone in creating its line of naturally derived carotenoids for the food ingredient and nutritional supplement markets. Utilizing its proprietary metabolic engineering capabilities, the Company has developed microbial strains that produce commercially significant levels of lycopene via fermentation — well in excess of five grams per liter. The bright red carotenoid is useful as an antioxidant and traditionally supplied from tomatoes. This achievement clears the way for the initiation of safety studies, and first lycopene sales could occur as early as 2010.
