Algae and seaweeds are used in cookery since the beginnings of human civilization, particularly in several Asian cultures. Phenolic compounds are secondary metabolites produced by aquatic and terrestrial plants for their natural defense against external stimuli, which possess powerful antimicrobial and antioxidant properties that can be very important for the food industry. The main objective of this study was to develop a whey protein concentrate active coating, incorporated with a Fucus vesiculosus extract in order to delay the lipid oxidation of chicken breasts. Ten hydroethanolic extracts from F. vesiculosus were obtained and their antioxidant capacity was evaluated through two antioxidant activity assays: the DPPH radical scavenging activity and β-carotene bleaching assay. The total content in phenolics compounds was also determined by Folin-Ciocalteu method. The chosen extract was the one obtained from the freeze-dried F. vesiculosus using 75% (v/v) ethanol as extraction solvent. The extract was successfully incorporated into a whey protein film and successfully strengthened the thickness, tensile strength, and elastic modulus. The active film also was able to inhibit the chicken breasts lipid oxidation for 25 days of storage.

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While Aurantiochytrium sp. is an increasingly popular source of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), its extraction generates high amounts of waste, including the spent, defatted residue. The composition and bioactivities of this by-product could prove to be a major part of the sustainable valorisation of this organism within the framework of a circular economy. In this study, the defatted biomass of commercial Aurantiochytrium sp. was nutritionally characterised, and its amino acid profile was detailed. Additionally, the antioxidant and prebiotic potentials of an enzymatically digested sample of defatted Aurantiochytrium sp. were evaluated under a set of miniaturised in vitro assays. The nutritional profile of the spent Aurantiochytrium biomass revealed a protein and dietary-fibre rich product, with values reaching 26.7% and 31.0% for each, respectively. It also held high concentrations of glutamic and aspartic acid, as well as a favourable lysine/arginine ratio of 3.73. The digested samples demonstrated significant Weissela cibaria and Bifidobacterium bifidum growth-enhancing potential. Residual ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) activity was likely attributed to antioxidant amino acids or peptides. The study demonstrated that some of the nutritional and functional potential that reside in the defatted Aurantiochytrium sp. waste encourages additional studies and the development of food supplements employing this resource’s by-products under a biorefinery framework.

Acne vulgaris (AV) is a chronic skin disease of the pilosebaceous unit affecting both adolescents and adults. Its pathophysiology includes processes of inflammation, increased keratinization, sebum production, hormonal dysregulation, and bacterial Cutibacterium acnes proliferation. Common AV has been treated with antibiotics since the 1960s, but strain resistance has emerged and is of paramount concern. Macroalgae are known producers of substances with bioactive properties, including anti-viral, antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties, among several others. In particular, red algae are rich in bioactive compounds such as polysaccharides, phenolic compounds, lipids, sterols, alkaloids, and terpenoids, conferring them antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory activities, among others. Thus, the exploration of compounds from marine resources can be an appealing approach to discover new treatment options against AV. The aim of this work is to provide an overview of the current knowledge of the potentialities of red macroalgae in the treatment of AV by reviewing the main therapeutic targets of this disease, and then the existence of compounds or extracts with bioactive properties against them.

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Aqueous extracts of commercially available red macroalgae Porphyra dioica were integrated as inner coatings of food-grade polypropylene (PP) films through use of electrospinning and electrospraying technologies. Two coating formulations (A = 5 wt% P. dioica extract and 7.5 wt% polyvinyl alcohol (PVA); B = 1 wt% P. dioica extract, 1 wt% PVA, and 17% gelatine) were evaluated as to their capacity to delay spoilage of minced chicken breasts, through monitoring of microbial growth (total mesophile aerobic colony counts), colour stability, lipid oxidation (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS)), and sensory analysis over a 4-day refrigerated storage. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging revealed an increased nanofiber and nanoparticle density on extract-enriched fibers, without compromise to their morphology or the homogeneity of the coatings. Total microbial counts on coating B samples was significantly (p < 0.001) reduced compared to uncoated plastic wraps. The coated samples also exhibited fewer colour degradation, though the coatings did not differ substantially from uncoated plastic wrap. Sensory analysis test subjects successfully distinguished the raw samples based on their treatment and gave a positive approval rating (66.7%) to the extract-enriched coatings when asked about edibility post storage.