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Camelina Breakthrough Could Transform Natural Astaxanthin Production
Oilseed crop engineered to produce high levels of powerful antioxidant pigment used in aquaculture and food industry
5 June, 2025
In a major step forward for sustainable pigment production, scientists have successfully engineered the oilseed crop Camelina sativa to produce high levels of astaxanthin — a valuable red antioxidant used to colour farmed salmon and shrimp — using plant-derived genes rather than bacterial pathways.
The findings, from a joint US/UK research team of biotechnologists led by Prof. Edgar Cahoon, director of the Center for Plant Science Innovation at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, could offer a commercially viable alternative to synthetic astaxanthin, which is currently produced through costly chemical synthesis or from limited natural sources like algae.
Astaxanthin belongs to a group of red pigments known as ketocarotenoids, which are prized not only for their colouring properties but also for their exceptional antioxidant capacity. These pigments don’t occur naturally in most crops, but by borrowing genes from the scarlet flax flower (Adonis aestivalis), researchers introduced a new ketocarotenoid biosynthesis pathway into Camelina seeds.
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Unlike earlier efforts that used bacterial genes, this plant-derived pathway proved more efficient and cleaner. It converted nearly all the precursor β-carotene into ketocarotenoids, with astaxanthin making up over a third of the total — reaching around 47 micrograms per gram of seed.
With growing pressure to find natural, scalable alternatives to synthetic additives, we believe this approach could pave the way for a new generation of sustainable pigment-rich oilseeds
Importantly, the extracted oil was notably more resistant to oxidation — a trait that may appeal to the food industry for uses such as oleogels in plant-based products.
Crucially, the modified plants showed no stunting or visible signs of stress in the field, and the results were replicated across multiple growing seasons in both the US and UK.
“With growing pressure to find natural, scalable alternatives to synthetic additives, we believe this approach could pave the way for a new generation of sustainable pigment-rich oilseeds,” said Rothamsted’s Dr Richard Haslam, one of the co-authors of the paper.
Professor Johnathan Napier commented, “The Rothamsted team was very pleased to be part of this highly successful collaboration resulting in crops with enhanced traits. It’s also great to test our prototype plants under real-world conditions in the field.”
UNL’s Professor Cahoon added "Rothamsted's world-class expertise in GM camelina field trials and lipidomics was critical to the success of this research. We look forward to working with Rothamsted investigators to commercialize this technology."
Publication
Contacts
Prof. Johnathan Napier
Omega-3 Camelina Development
Prof. Richard Haslam
Plant Lipid Biochemist
ABOUT ROTHAMSTED RESEARCH
Rothamsted Research is the longest-running agricultural research institute in the world. We work from gene to field with a proud history of ground-breaking
discoveries in areas as diverse as crop management, statistical interpretation and soil health. Our founders, in 1843, were the pioneers of modern
agriculture, and we are known for our imaginative science and our collaborative approach to developing innovative farm practice.
Through independent research, we make significant contributions to improving agri-food systems in the UK and internationally, with
economic impact estimated to exceed £3 bn in annual contribution to the UK economy. Our strength lies in our systems approach, which combines strategic research,
interdisciplinary teams and multiple partnerships.
Rothamsted is home to three unique National Bioscience Research Infrastructures which are open to researchers from all over the world:
The Long-Term Experiments,
Rothamsted Insect Survey and the
North Wyke Farm Platform.
We are strategically funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), with additional support from other national and
international funding streams, and from industry. We are also supported by the Lawes Agricultural Trust (LAT).
ABOUT BBSRC
The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council is part of UK Research and Innovation, a non-departmental public body funded by a grant-in-aid
from the UK government.
BBSRC invests to push back the frontiers of biology and deliver a healthy, prosperous and sustainable future. Through our investments, we build and support a vibrant,
dynamic and inclusive community which delivers ground-breaking discoveries and develops bio-based solutions that contribute to tackling global challenges,
such as sustainable food production, climate change, and healthy ageing.
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and inclusion of talent by investing in people, infrastructure, technologies, and partnerships on a global scale.
ABOUT LAT
The Lawes Agricultural Trust, established in 1889 by Sir John Bennet Lawes, supports Rothamsted Research’s national and international agricultural science through the provision of land, facilities and funding. LAT, a charitable trust, owns the estates at Harpenden and Broom's Barn, including many of the buildings used by Rothamsted Research. LAT provides an annual research grant to the Director, accommodation for nearly 200 people, and support for fellowships for young scientists from developing countries. LAT also makes capital grants to help modernise facilities at Rothamsted, or invests in new buildings.