Bioactivity and Digestibility of Microalgae Tetraselmis sp. and Nannochloropsis sp. as Basis of Their Potential as Novel Functional Foods

Abstract

It is estimated that by 2050, the world’s population will exceed 10 billion people, which will lead to a deterioration in global food security. To avoid aggravating this problem, FAO and WHO have recommended dietary changes to reduce the intake of animal calories and increase the consumption of sustainable, nutrient-rich, and calorie-efficient products. Moreover, due to the worldwide rising incidence of non-communicable diseases and the demonstrated impact of diet on the risk of these disorders, the current established food pattern is focused on the consumption of foods that have functionality for health. Among promising sources of functional foods, microalgae are gaining worldwide attention because of their richness in high-value compounds with potential health benefits. However, despite the great opportunities to exploit microalgae in functional food industry, their use remains limited by challenges related to species diversity and variations in cultivation factors, changes in functional composition during extraction procedures, and limited evidence on the safety and bioavailability of microalgae bioactives. The aim of this review is to provide an updated and comprehensive discussion on the nutritional value, biological effects, and digestibility of two microalgae genera, Tetraselmis and Nannochloropsis, as basis of their potential as ingredients for the development of functional foods.

Current challenges of microalgae applications: exploiting the potential of non‐conventional microalgae species

“…Isochrysis galbana , Nannochloropsis sp., Tetraselmis sp. and Phaeodactylum tricornutum are EPA‐producers, while Porphyridium cruentum is an ARA producer 57,58 . Furthermore, as largely reported by Spolaore et al ., 59 for the high content of B vitamins and phycobiliproteins these species are considered as healthy promoters with antioxidant, cholesterol‐lowering and other beneficial effects.…”

“…and Phaeodactylum tricornutum are EPA-producers, while Porphyridium cruentum is an ARA producer. 57,58 Furthermore, as largely reported by Spolaore et al, 59 for the high content of B vitamins and phycobiliproteins these species are considered as healthy promoters with antioxidant, cholesterol-lowering and other beneficial effects. Moreover, Arthrospira has gained significant popularity in the health and food industry, as primary food source in Asian countries, mainly in China, Korea, and Japan, while in other parts of the world it has been used as a nutrition supplement.…”

Comparison of the Regenerative Metabolic Efficiency of Lipid Extracts from Microalgae Nannochloropsis oceanica and Chlorococcum amblystomatis on Fibroblasts

“…This may be due to the presence and antioxidant activity of lipophilic antioxidants as well as vitamin C found in the microalgae N.o. [ 41 , 113 ]. Previous data have shown that treatment of fibroblasts with ascorbic acid under conditions of UV-induced oxidative stress reduces the formation of lipid peroxidation products and their further interactions, including reducing the level of carbonyl groups and the amount of another oxidative product of proteins—dityrosine [ 46 ].…”

Microalgae as a Nutraceutical Tool to Antagonize the Impairment of Redox Status Induced by SNPs: Implications on Insulin Resistance

“…To date no clinical trial has investigated the implications of microalgae antioxidant molecules on human metabolic health. Future research is also required to define the digestibility of microalgae and the bioavailability of the antioxidant molecules that they contain, in order to counteract oxidative stress and insulin resistance [ 119 , 121 ].…”