Cloudberry ( Rubus chamaemorus) cell culture with bioactive substances: Establishment and mass propagation for industrial use

• Published in: Engineering in Life Sciences
• Main Authors: Nohynek, Liisa, Bailey, Michael, Tähtiharju, Juha, Seppänen‐Laakso, Tuulikki, Rischer, Heiko, Oksman‐Caldentey, Kirsi‐Marja, Puupponen‐Pimiä, Riitta
• Other Authors: The Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation (TEKES)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 2014
• Subjects: Rubus chamaemorus
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/elsc.201400069; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Felsc.201400069; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/elsc.201400069; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1002/elsc.201400069

The availability and quality of wild berry material is strongly affected by seasonal variations, human resources, and both chemical and biological pollutants. Here we describe for the first time the industrial scale biotechnological production of cloudberry ( Rubus chamaemorus ) cells of consistent quality and defined chemical composition. Callus was initiated from sterile cuts of the wild cloudberry leaves. Bright yellow, soft callus of uniform quality was selected by regular subculturing, and a stable line successfully used for suspension culture was obtained within 18 months. The cultivation process of the cell culture was initiated in 250 mL shake flasks and stepwise expanded to a stirred tank bioreactor of 300 L working volume. Each growth period in flasks and fed‐batch cultures in bioreactors was 10 ± 3 days. Viability of the cultures was approximately 90% throughout the cultivation processes. The 300 L culture was harvested by pressure filtration and the biomass was freeze‐dried. The 300 L yields of fresh cells and freeze‐dried material were 19 and 2 kg, respectively. The unusual phenolic profile of cloudberry cells including flavanols, as well as their fatty acid composition with a high proportion of α‐linolenic acid and high protein content, make them a unique and interesting alternative for industrial applications for various industrial fields.