Impact of Different Storage Methods on Bioactive Compounds in Arthrospira platensis Biomass

Abstract

Arthrospira platensis (spirulina) is considered a source of natural molecules with nutritional and health benefits. As the different storage forms can affect the quantity and quality of bioactive ingredients, the aim of the present work was to evaluate the effects of freezing, oven-drying and freeze-drying on chemical composition of spirulina biomass. Total proteins, photosynthetic pigments and antioxidants, were analyzed and compared to respective quantities in fresh biomass. The frozen sample exhibited the highest content of phycocyanin-C, phenols, and ascorbic acid, also respect to the fresh biomass. The highest total flavonoid amount was in the freeze-dried biomass. HPLC-DAD analysis of phenolic acids revealed the presence of the isoflavone genistein, known for its therapeutic role, in all the spirulina samples. The phosphomolybdenum method (TAC) and DPPH scavenging activity were applied to determine the antioxidant activity of different samples. The highest DPPH scavenging activity was detected in fresh and freeze-dried biomass and it was positively related to carotenoid content. A positive correlation indicated that carotenoids, chlorophyll, ascorbic acid and all phenolic compounds were the major contributors to the TAC activity in spirulina biomass. The results highlighted a different functional value of spirulina biomass, depending on the processing methods used for its storage.

Effect of Arthrospira Microalga Fortification on Physicochemical Properties of Yogurt

“…Higher C-PC content showed greater antioxidant activity. Our results concurred with Papalia et al, 28 who found that fresh Arthrospira gave higher antioxidant activity than frozen and oven-dried Arthrospira biomass. Yogurt supplemented with fresh Arthrospira achieved high nutritional and antioxidant activity as a functional product.…”

“…Oven-dried Arthrospira biomass showed reduced protein content of 35% with respect to the fresh biomass. 28 Therefore, fresh Arthrospira supplemented into yogurt treatments gave similar nutritional composition with oven-dried Arthrospira.…”

Flavonoids in Cancer Metastasis

“…The effectiveness of chemotherapy in colorectal cancer patients evaluated as combined with the herbal agent MB-6 composed of fermented soybean extract, green tea extract, Antrodia camphorata mycelia, spirulina, grape seed extract, and curcumin extract. Major constituents of MB-6 [ 122 ] are known to contain various flavonoids [ 123 , 124 , 125 , 126 , 127 ]. A proof-of-concept clinical study conducted on 72 metastatic colorectal cancer patients randomized to receive leucovorin, 5-fluoroacil, and oxaliplatin in combination with MB-6 or placebo for a period of 16 weeks.…”

Ocimum basilicum (kemangi) intervention on powder and microencapsulated Spirulina platensis and its bioactive molecules

“…In S. platensis, distilled water has been reported as the best solvent for extraction of phenolic compounds with total phenol content of 43.2 ± 1 GEA/g 43 . S. platensis powder prepared via oven drying is reported to have a broad range phenolic profile that includes gallic acid, catechin, caffeic acid, P-hydroxybenzoic acid, P-cumaric acid, ferulic acid, quercein, genistein and kaempferol 44 . Variation in total phenol content between algae species is reportedly due to algal type, origin and growth condition of different microalgae 45 .…”

“…Previous studies have reported that total flavonoid in S. platensis is less than the total phenols, phenolics (1.73%) and flavonoids (0.87%) 50 . Another study reported that the powder of S. platensis, which was dried in an oven at a temperature of ± 50°C, did not effect the phenolic compound quercentin, where the compound was one of the active substances of the flavonoid class 44 . The flavonoids are considered as indispensable in a variety of medicines, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications 51 .…”