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Carboxymethyl-glucan (CM-G) is a water-soluble derivative of β(1→3)(1→6) glucan, a well-known immunostimulant and antioxidant compound. In this experimental, randomized and placebo-controlled study, the effects of oral CM-G intake over a 60-day period on the peripheral blood, cholesterol, glycemic index and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels of healthy men was assessed. The CM-G was obtained from spent brewer's yeast (S. uvarum) with DS 0.8 and molecular weight of 2.2 × 10 5 Da. Following CM-G administration, no changes were observed in red and white blood cell, hematocrit, hemoglobin and platelet counts, or in cholesterol and glycemic indices. After 30 days of CM-G administration, the MDA levels decreased significantly (p ≤ 0.05) in men receiving CM-G. The results showed for the first time that CM-G may act as an adjuvant in preventing oxidative damage in healthy humans.

Espécies pertencentes ao gênero Spirulina estão entre os microrganismos fotossintéticos de maior importância comercial. Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o cultivo da Spirulina platensis e Spirulina máxima com substituição parcial de meio sintético por meio de cultura de baixo custo RM (resíduo de malte de cevada) bem como extrair compostos bioativos aplicaveis a indústria de alimentos. Foram avaliados os parâmetros de crescimento, composição da biomassa, concentrações de proteínas, carboidratos, lipídios, ácidos graxos, extração de ficocianina, polissacarídeos e monossacarídeos. Os cultivos utilizando RM na concentração de 50% obtiveram crescimento equivalente ao controle. O teor de clorofila foi superior para as duas espécies de Spirulina cultivadas no meio controle. Os teores de ficocianina foram superiores para Spirulina platensis. Os maiores teores proteicos foram encontrados para Spirulina platensis (55,9g 100g-1) seguida da Spirulina maxima (53,3g 100g-1) cultivadas em RM. Os ácidos polinsaturados linoleico e alfa-linolênico apresentaram percentuais mais elevados nas cepas cultivadas em RM. O teor de PUFA foi maior nos cultivos em meio RM, variando de 57 a 59%. A extração de polissacarídeos com água quente/ultrassom apresentou maiores valores nas duas espécies cultivadas em meio RM variando de 8,3 a 11,2%. O teor de exopolissacarídeos destacou-se no cultivo com meio RM (191 a 193mg·L-1) para ambas as espécies. Os resultados obtidos evidenciam que a utilização de resíduo de malte como substituto parcial ao meio controle é adequada como meio alternativo para o cultivo das Spirulinas platensis e maxima. Além disso, destaca-se o potencial de seus compostos bioativos para a indústria de alimentos.

The production potential of metabolites of interest to the food industry was evaluated in 17 microalgae species isolated from natural sources in northeastern Brazil. The species were cultivated to their stationary phase under controlled conditions, when the experiments were interrupted and the dry biomass harvested. We observed differences in their growth parameters, productivity, and the biochemical compositions of their biomasses, with high levels of protein productivity in Monoraphidium litorale D296WC (48.96%), Kirchneriella concorta D498WC (42.49%), Monoraphidium griffithi D499WC (48.37%), Chlamydomonas sp. D530WC (44.80%), and Cosmarium sp cf. depressum D578WC (49.32). The greatest carbohydrate productivities were observed in Xanthonema sp. D464WC (34.15%), K. concorta D498WC (38.95%), and Scenedesmus acuminatus D514WC (36.54%). The three different extraction techniques of microalgae lipids all gave slightly different results, with the method utilizing phospho-vanillin being considered the most rapid and it requires only small quantities of biomass. Unsaturated fatty acids (oleic, linoleic, and linolenic) were encountered at high levels in most of the species, especially α-linolenic acid (ω3), which reached concentrations above 30% in Golenkinia radiata (D325WC). Due to their high productivity, rapid growth, and the large numbers of important dietary metabolites they produce, the species Monoraphidium litorale (D296WC), Xanthonema sp. (D464WC) and Monoraphidium griffithi (D499WC) show significant potential for utilization by the food industry as sources of proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates.