Whole-Cell Protein Profiles of Disintegrated Freshwater Green Algae and Cyanobacterium

The influence of cultivation methods and postharvesting treatment on protein profiles of green freshwater microalgae Chlorella kessleri, Scenedesmus quadricauda, and Chlorella sp. and cyanobacterium Spirulina platensis were evaluated. The comparison of protein profiles in algal biomass originated from the autotrophic cultivation in an outdoor open circulating cascade-type cultivation apparatus in thin-layer, a solar photobioreactor, and from the heterotrophic cultivation regime in a fermenter. All tested algae contained protein bands in the area between 14.3-27 and 70-116 kDa. Protein profiles revealed much higher heterogenity in the area between 30-70 kDa. © 2016 Taylor & Francis.projects of the internal grants of Tomas Bata University in Zlin [IGA/22/FT/11/D, IGA/FT/2012/038/D

Phenolic content and antioxidant capacity in algal food products

The study objective was to investigate total phenolic content using Folin-Ciocalteu's method, to assess nine phenols by HPLC, to determine antioxidant capacity of the water soluble compounds (ACW) by a photochemiluminescence method, and to calculate the correlation coefficients in commercial algal food products from brown (Laminaria japonica, Eisenia bicyclis, Hizikia fusiformis, Undaria pinnatifida) and red (Porphyra tenera, Palmaria palmata) seaweed, green freshwater algae (Chlorella pyrenoidosa), and cyanobacteria (Spirulina platensis). HPLC analysis showed that the most abundant phenolic compound was epicatechin. From spectrophotometry and ACW determination it was evident that brown seaweed Eisenia bicyclis was the sample with the highest phenolic and ACW values (193 mg·g-1 GAE; 7.53 μmol AA·g-1, respectively). A linear relationship existed between ACW and phenolic contents (r = 0.99). Some algal products seem to be promising functional foods rich in polyphenols.internal grant agency of Tomas Bata University in Zlin [IGA/FT/2014/011

Seaweed minerals as nutraceuticals

Seaweed is known as an abundant source of minerals. Mineral composition of seaweed is very changeable because of many exogenous and endogenous factors and differs also within the same species. Principally, seaweed is an excellent source of some essential elements. Mainly, iron and iodine are in high concentration. Seaweeds could be prospective as functional foods and also producers of mineral nutraceuticals. © 2011 Elsevier Inc

In vitro digestibility of different commercial edible algae products

Digestibility is an important factor in determining the level of nutritive factors utilization. Determination of in vitro digestibility in a Daisy incubator and assessment of protein digestibility using Kjeldahl method of algal food products after pepsin, pancreatin, and combined hydrolysis of both enzymes was described. The influence of different hydrolysis times on algal digestibility was investigated in brown seaweeds, red seaweeds, and green alga. The highest digestibility values were generally determined in red seaweeds after 24 h of combined hydrolysis by pepsin and pancreatin. Direct dependence between digestion time and digestion efficiency was verified and statistically proven.Tomas Bata University in Zlin [IGA/22/FT/11/D, SVV-IGA/FT/2012/038/D]; [MSM 70883521011

Influencing of amino acid composition of green freshwater algae and cyanobacterium by methods of cultivation

Aim: To determine and evaluate amino acid profiles in algal biomass of green freshwater microalgae Chlorella kessleri, Scenedesmus quadricauda and Chlorella sp. and blue-green micro-alga (cyanobacterium) Spirulina platensis cultivated by various methods. To perform the comparison of amino acid contents in algal biomass originated from cultivation methods. Material and Methods: Selected species of green freshwater micro-algae and blue-green microalgea were cultivated under the autotrophic cultivation in laboratory, in an outdoor open circulating cascade-type cultivation apparatus in a thin-layer, in a solar photobioreactor and under the heterotrophic cultivation regime in a fermenter. Contents of seventeen amino acids in algal samples were determined by using ion-exchange chromatography. Results: Autotrophic growth regime in a solar photobioreactor and in an outdoor open circulating cascade-type cultivation apparatus in a thin-layer provided algal biomass with higher amino acid contents than cultivation in a laboratory regime and heterotrophic cultivation in a fermenter. Conclusion: Microalgae are considered as an unconventional source of amino acids, so it is important to monitor their amino acid composition. This work provides amino acid profiles of investigated green freshwater microalgae and blue-green microalgea in dependence on their cultivation methods. The content of amino acids in algal biomass is directly associated with the selected cultivation method and growth conditions (e.g. chemical composition of culture medium, quality of light, pH, turbulence, salinity and temperature) of algal cells. Further studies are needed to elucidate the influence of individual growth conditions that may lead to changes in amino acid composition in algal biomass.Tomas Bata University in Zlin [IGA/22/FT/11/D, IGA/FT/2013/017

Health benefits of algal polysaccharides in human nutrition

The interest in functional food, both freshwater and marine algal products with their possible promotional health effects, increases also in regions where algae are considered as rather exotic food. Increased attention about algae as an abundant source of many nutrients and dietary fiber from the nutrition point of view, as well as from the scientific approaches to explore new nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals, is based on the presence of many bioactive compounds including polysaccharides extracted from algal matter. Diverse chemical composition of dietary fiber polysaccharides is responsible for their different physicochemical properties, such as their ability to be fermented by the human colonic microbiota resulted in health benefit effects. Fundamental seaweed polysaccharides are presented by alginates, agars, carrageenans, ulvanes, and fucoidans, which are widely used in the food and pharmaceutical industry and also in other branches of industry. Moreover, freshwater algae and seaweed polysaccharides have emerged as an important source of bioactive natural compounds which are responsible for their possible physiological effects. Especially, sulfate polysaccharides exhibit immunomodulatory, antitumor, antithrombotic, anticoagulant, anti-mutagenic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antiviral activities including anti-HIV infection, herpes, and hepatitis viruses. Generally, biological activity of sulfate polysaccharides is related to their different composition and mainly to the extent of the sulfation of their molecules. Significant attention has been recently focused on the use of both freshwater algae and seaweed for developing functional food by reason of a great variety of nutrients that are essential for human health

Amino acid composition of algal products and its contribution to RDI

In this paper, the amino acid profiles of algal products from diverse groups (Cyanophyceae, Chlorophyta, Rhodophyta and Phaeophyta) were established. Contents of essential and non-essential amino acids varied in the range of 22.8-42.3 and 31.0-66.5 (g.16 g(-1) N), respectively. In dependence on daily algal intakes, the highest participation in recommended daily intakes (RDI; related to adult, body weight of 70 kg) of all EAAs was observed in freshwater micro-algal products, especially from Spirulina genus where contribution ranged from 12.6% (Lys, SB) to 38.8% (Thr, S). Generally, Lys was the lowest contributor to RDIs in almost all algal samples except Chlorella pyrenoidosa (C) and Palmaria palmata (D), where Ile and Leu, respectively, were established. Interestingly, the contents of sulfur AAs of both products of the Spirulina genus covered 74.5% (S) and 73.8% (SB) of their RDI. Finally, products from brown seaweeds showed the lowest contributions to the RDIs of all EAAs. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved