Functional Foods Enriched with Marine Microalga Nannochloropsis oculata as a Source of ω-3 Fatty Acids

Sve je veća potražnja za funkcionalnom hranom obogaćenom ω-3 masnim kiselinama, zbog njezinog pozitivnog učinka na zdravlje, kao npr. smanjenje rizika od srčanih bolesti, dijabetesa tipa II, artritisa, očnih bolesti, itd. Svrha je ovoga rada bila razviti funkcionalne proizvode, i to kekse i tjesteninu, obogaćene ω-3 masnim kiselinama. Za to je upotrijebljena mikroalga Nannochloropsis oculata, koja osim velike hranjive vrijednosti ima relativno visoku stopu rasta, velik udjel lipida, te je otporna na miješanje i kontaminaciju. Procijenjen je utjecaj dodatka biomase mikroalge N. oculata na boju, čvrstoću, sastav masnih kiselina i senzorska svojstva keksa i tjestenine. Vrijednosti su boje bile stabilne i nakon dva mjeseca skladištenja, a čvrstoća se povećavala s povećanjem udjela biomase mikroalge. Udjel je ω-3 polinezasićenih masnih kiselina, tzv. PUFA (eikosapentaenoične (EPA) i dokosaheksaenoične (DHA) kiseline) bio 98 mg u 100 g keksa, te 63 mg u 100 g tjestenine, obogaćenih s 1 % biomase mikroalge N. oculata. Senzorska je analiza potvrdila prihatljivost keksa i tjestenine obogaćenih s 2 ili 3 % biomase mikroalge. Istraživanje je potvrdilo da keksi i tjestenina obogaćeni biomasom mikroalge Nannochloropsis oculata mogu biti dobar izvor ω-3 masnih kiselina.The demand for functional food incorporated with ω-3 fatty acids is increasing over the years due to their added health benefits, such as reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases, type II diabetes, ocular diseases, arthritis, etc. This study mainly aims to develop functional cookies and pasta enriched with ω-3 fatty acids. Nannochloropsis oculata was used because of its relatively high growth rate, high lipid content, resistance to mixing and contamination together with high nutritional values. The effect of the incorporation of Nannochloropsis oculata biomass on colour, firmness, fatty acid profile and sensory characteristics of cookies and pasta were evaluated. The colour values were found to be stable for two months of storage and the firmness increased with the addition of microalgal biomass. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) levels (eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids) of 98 mg per 100 g and 63 mg per 100 g were observed in cookies and pasta, respectively, enriched with 1 % of Nannochloropsis oculata biomass. Sensory evaluation showed that the addition of up to 2 and 3 % of microalgal biomass was positively evaluated and accepted for cookies and pasta, respectively. This study confirms that the cookies and pasta enriched with Nannochloropsis oculata biomass might be used as a potential source of ω-3 fatty acids