Caporusso Antonio

Name and Surname: Antonio Caporusso

Cycle: XXXIV - Curriculum: Food Sciences and Engineering

Tutor: Prof. Angela Capece

Co-tutor: Dr. Isabella De Bari (ENEA)

Title of the project

Biotechnological transformation processes of lignocellulosic biomasses and agro-industrial by-products in high added-value bio-products

Aims of the project

The aim of this project is the valorization of residual biomass from the agricultural and agri-food sector of the Basilicata region. The activity involves the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass, namely wheat straw, into second-generation sugars through steam-explosion pretreatment. These sugars will be used as feed for oleaginous yeasts, versatile microorganisms able to produce mainly high titer triglycerides and secondary products such as organic acids, polyols and carotenoids. These molecules find their application in several industrial sectors, such as food, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, hydrocarbon, and bioplastic industries. Scale-up of the optimized process will be carried out to the pilot scale.

Publications

Caporusso A.,^, De Bari I., Valerio V., Albergo R., Liuzzi F. 2021. Conversion of cardoon crop residues into single cell oils by Lipomyces tetrasporus and Cutaneotrichosporon curvatus: process optimizations to overcome the microbial inhibition of lignocellulosic hydrolysates. Industrial Crops and Products, 159, 113030.

E-mail: antonio.caporusso@unibas.it