Abstract
Arthrospira platensis is the widely available source of spirulina that contains distinctive natural pigments, including carotenoids and C-phycocyanin (C-PC). In this study, the major carotenoid and C-PC contents were determined in seven commercially available spirulina powder products and laboratory-prepared A. platensis trichomes (AP-1) by an LC-DAD method and UV-Visible spectrometry, respectively. The correlation of these two pigment content levels with Hunter color coordinates and antioxidant activity was also evaluated. The L* value failed to show a significant correlation with pigment content, but a positive correlation was observed between a* values and the contents of total carotenoid and C-PC. As b* values decreased, the chlorophyll a and C-PC contents increased. AP-1 exhibited the highest content of total carotenoids, chlorophyll a and C-PC, and antioxidant activities among the samples. This observation could be related to degradation of these pigments during the mass production process. The carotenoid profiles suggested that the commercial spirulina powders originated from two different sources, A. platensis and A. maxima. Total carotenoid and C-PC content exhibited positive significant correlations with antioxidant activities measured by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) assays. These results provide a strong scientific foundation for the establishment of standards for the commercial distribution of quality spirulina products.
Highlights
Most commercial spirulina powder is composed of dried bodies of Arthrospira (Spirulina) platensisis or A. maxima [1]
Because carotenoids and C-PC are pigments, a colorimetric evaluation was performed on the spirulina powders obtained from Athrospira platensis cultivated in our laboratory (AP-1) or purchased from on-line and local stores (C1–C7)
The results showed that the mean value of total phenol content in the carotenoid extract was in the range of 1.3–6.4 μmol gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g dry weight, which was much lower than that of 47.0–82.1 μmol
Summary
Most commercial spirulina powder is composed of dried bodies of Arthrospira (Spirulina) platensisis or A. maxima [1] These species, known as spirulina, are Gram-negative, nontoxic species of cyanobacteria that are widely used as food supplements or natural additives. C-phycocyanin [2,3], spirulina use has aligned with consumer awareness regarding the importance of natural color agents for their nutritional, pharmacological and health-related benefits. Carotenoids are a class of natural lipid-soluble pigments that are responsible for the red, yellow, and orange colors found in various plants and microorganisms. They function primarily as photosynthesis aids and are used in the photoprotection process. There is evidence that these pigments may protect humans from serious disorders associated with oxidative and inflammatory stress including skin degeneration and aging, cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancer, and age-related diseases of the eye, such as macular degeneration or cataracts [5,6,7]
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