Microalgae as a Potential Functional Ingredient: Evaluation of the Phytochemical Profile, Antioxidant Activity and In-Vitro Enzymatic Inhibitory Effect of Different Species
Marta Vinha Vieira,
Igor Piotr Turkiewicz,
Karolina Tkacz,
Claudio Fuentes-Grünewald,
Lorenzo M. Pastrana,
Pablo Fuciños,
Aneta Wojdyło,
Paulina Nowicka
Affiliations
Marta Vinha Vieira
Department of Fruit, Vegetable and Nutraceutical Plant Technology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Science, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 37 Chełmonskiego Street, 51-630 Wrocław, Poland
Igor Piotr Turkiewicz
Department of Fruit, Vegetable and Nutraceutical Plant Technology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Science, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 37 Chełmonskiego Street, 51-630 Wrocław, Poland
Karolina Tkacz
Department of Fruit, Vegetable and Nutraceutical Plant Technology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Science, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 37 Chełmonskiego Street, 51-630 Wrocław, Poland
Claudio Fuentes-Grünewald
Bioscience Department, College of Science, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK
Lorenzo M. Pastrana
International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, Food Processing and Nutrition Research Group, Av. Mestre José Veiga s/n, 4715-330 Braga, Portugal
Pablo Fuciños
International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, Food Processing and Nutrition Research Group, Av. Mestre José Veiga s/n, 4715-330 Braga, Portugal
Aneta Wojdyło
Department of Fruit, Vegetable and Nutraceutical Plant Technology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Science, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 37 Chełmonskiego Street, 51-630 Wrocław, Poland
Paulina Nowicka
Department of Fruit, Vegetable and Nutraceutical Plant Technology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Science, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 37 Chełmonskiego Street, 51-630 Wrocław, Poland
The functional food market has been in a state of constant expansion due to the increasing awareness of the impact of the diet on human health. In the search for new natural resources that could act as a functional ingredient for the food industry, microalgae represent a promising alternative, considering their high nutritional value and biosynthesis of numerous bioactive compounds with reported biological properties. In the present work, the phytochemical profile, antioxidant activity, and enzymatic inhibitory effect aiming at different metabolic disorders (Alzheimer’s disease, Type 2 diabetes, and obesity) were evaluated for the species Porphyridium purpureum, Chlorella vulgaris, Arthorspira platensis, and Nannochloropsis oculata. All the species presented bioactive diversity and important antioxidant activity, demonstrating the potential to be used as functional ingredients. Particularly, P. purpureum and N. oculata exhibited higher carotenoid and polyphenol content, which was reflected in their superior biological effects. Moreover, the species P. purpureum exhibited remarkable enzymatic inhibition for all the analyses.
