Abstract
Microalgae are generally considered an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, and bioactive molecules that make them suitable to be introduced in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and food industries. Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (AFA), an edible microalga, contains numerous biomolecules potentially able to prevent some pathologies including age-related disorders. With the aim to include an AFA extract (Klamin®) as a functional ingredient in baked products, we investigated if its bioactive molecules are destroyed or inactivated after standard cooking temperature. The AFA extract was exposed to heat stress (AFA-HS), and no significant decrease in pigment, polyphenol, and carotenoid content was detected by spectroscopic analysis. Thermal stability of AFA-HS extract was demonstrated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and no change in the morphology of the granules of the powder was noticed by SEM microscopic observation. By Folin-Ciocalteu, ORAC, and ABTS assays, no change in the antioxidant activity and polyphenol contents was found after high-temperature exposition. When added in cell culture, solubilized AFA-HS lost neither its scavenging ability against ROS generation nor its protective role against Abeta, the main peptide involved in Alzheimer's disease. Prebiotic and antioxidant activities of AFA extract that are not lost after thermal stress were verified on E. coli bacteria. Finally, AFA-HS cookies, containing the extract as one of their ingredients, showed increased polyphenols. Here, we evaluate the possibility to use the AFA extract to produce functional food and prevent metabolic and age-related diseases.
Highlights
Microalgae comprise prokaryotic cyanobacteria and eukaryotic photoautotrophic protists, with significant diversity in their metabolism, cell structure, and habitat [1]
Thermal stability of Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (AFA)-HS extract was demonstrated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and no change in the morphology of the granules of the powder was noticed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) microscopic observation
To evaluate if the pigment contents of AFA extracts are maintained under heath stress, we performed an analysis based on their spectroscopic properties and chromophore content [52]
Summary
Microalgae comprise prokaryotic cyanobacteria and eukaryotic photoautotrophic protists, with significant diversity in their metabolism, cell structure, and habitat [1] They are the oldest forms of life and have been the main biotic source of oxygen on early Earth [2]. Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (AFA) is a cyanobacterial unicellular organism with remarkable nutritional properties that, unlike other commercial “microalgae,” spontaneously grows in Upper Klamath Lake (southern Oregon, USA). This lake is an ideal natural ecosystem for the growth of the AFA microalgae, especially during the period between late summer and early fall, while the cold is gradually starting. The production of fatty acids, such as omega 3, is favored during the winter, while
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