The effect of two enzymatic hydrolyzed molasses (EHM)-feeding strategies including constant-(CFR) and exponential-(EFR) feeding rate on canthaxanthin (CTX) biosynthesis by Dietzia natronolimnaea HS-1 fed-batch fermentation was studied. The results showed that the CFR of 7 ml/h with an EHM content of 45 g/l led to the highest values of specific growth rate (0.127 h (1)), biomass dry weight (17.66 g/l), total carotenoid (16.31 mg/l) and CTX (14.67 mg/l). A significant decrease in the kinetic growth and production parameters by the increasing EHM concentration from 30 to 60 g/l during EFR fed-batch bioprocess was observed (p < 0.01). This study concluded that EHM alone can displace glucose-based medium towards improved CTX biosynthesis from D. natronolimnaea HS-1 using a CFR strategy during fed-batch culture. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.