Introducing Some Commonly Used Pigments Produced by Microorganisms

In recent years, the global market for natural pigments has grown greatly due to the increase in people's awareness of health, and environmental issues and the discovery of the medicinal effects of different natural pigments. The industrial production of natural microbial pigments has received more attention than other sources due to several advantages, such as cheaper production, easier extraction, higher efficiency, and a lack of dependence on the seasons. Among the most important natural pigments are carotenoids, flavonoids, tetrapyrroles, and some xanthophylls, such as astaxanthin. Among the carotenoids, beta-carotene, a pigment that is mostly used in industries, is obtained from some microalgae and cyanobacteria. Astaxanthin is a red pigment with great commercial value in animal feed, pharmaceutical, and aquaculture industries. This study introduced some commonly used pigments produced by microorganisms along with their application and some identified microorganisms that can produce these pigments. </em> </em>