Engineering of Liposome Structure to Enhance Physicochemical Properties of Spirulina plantensis Protein Hydrolysate: Stability during Spray-Drying.

Maryam Mohammadi,Rahim Shahvalizadeh,Hamed Hamishehkar,Marjan Ghorbani,José M Lorenzo,Mirian Pateiro

doi:10.3390/antiox10121953

Abstract

Encapsulating hydrolysates in liposomes can be an effective way to improve their stability and bioactivity. In this study, Spirulina hydrolysate was successfully encapsulated into nanoliposomes composed of different stabilizers (cholesterol or γ-oryzanol), and the synthesized liposomes were finally coated with chitosan biopolymer. The synthesized formulations were fully characterized and their antioxidant activity evaluated using different methods. Then, stabilization of coated nanoliposomes (chitosomes) by spray-drying within the maltodextrin matrix was investigated. A small mean diameter and homogeneous size distribution with high encapsulation efficiency were found in all the formulations, while liposomes stabilized with γ-oryzanol and coated with chitosan showed the highest physical stability over time and preserved approximately 90% of their initial antioxidant capacity. Spray-dried powder could preserve all characteristics of peptide-loaded chitosomes. Thus, spray-dried hydrolysate-containing chitosomes could be considered as a functional food ingredient for the human diet.

Highlights

For protein hydrolysis, lyophilized Spirulina platensis protein was dispersed in distilled water (DW) to achieve a protein concentration of 3% (w/v)
The solubility of hydrolysate under harsh acidic conditions was improved after enzymatic hydrolysis, but the highest solubility was obtained under alkaline pH conditions
Spirulina plantensis hydrolysate was successfully encapsulated into nanoliposomes using the thin-layer hydration method of sonication

Summary

Introduction

The microalga Spirulina has gained more attention in areas such as the pharmaceutical, food, poultry, and aquaculture industries for its nutritional and health benefits [1]. Certain therapeutic effects of Spirulina (reduced hyperlipidemia, obesity, and blood cholesterol; antioxidant and anticancer activity; immune system improvement; and increased beneficial intestinal bacteria) have been proven by pre-clinical and clinical studies, which are related to their bioactive constitution, e.g., phycocyanins, carotenoids, phenolic compounds, and polyunsaturated fatty acids. The green-blue microalgae are a rich source of proteins (60–70% of dry matter) and, due to the absence of cellulose in the cell wall, are very digestible. They have gained more attention in recent years as a food supplement, especially for athletes and vegetarians [2]

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