Enhancing the Biological Effects of Bioactive Compounds from Microalgae through Advanced Processing Techniques: Pioneering Ingredients for Next-Generation Food Production.

The heightened interest in healthy dietary practices and the preference for fresh, minimally processed foods with reduced additives have witnessed a significant surge among consumers. Within this context, bioactive compounds have garnered attention as potent agents offering beneficial biological effects when integrated into food formulations. Nevertheless, the efficacy of these bioactive compounds in product development encounters numerous challenges during various processing and storage stages due to their inherent instability. Addressing these limitations necessitates exploring novel technological approaches tailored explicitly to the application of bioactive compounds in food production. These approaches should not only focus on preserving the bioactive compounds within food matrices but also on retaining the sensory attributes (color, taste, and aroma) of the final food products. The impact of microalgae and their bioactive compounds on human health and well-being has been extensively reported in the literature. However, there is still a gap regarding the processing and stability of microalgal bioactive compounds to improve their application in the food industry. The main goal of the present work is to point out how to overcome technological challenges in enhancing the stability of bioactive compounds from microalgae for optimal food applications.

Study and characterization of a product based on a vegetable extract of quinoa fermented with water kefir grains.

This work aimed to study and characterize a product based on vegetable extract of quinoa (WVEQ) fermented with water kefir grains. The effect of sucrose concentration (SC), inulin concentration (IC), and xanthan gum (XG) concentration were evaluated using a central composite design (CCD) 23. They were subsequently characterized regarding cellular growth of the grains, beverage yield, pH, soluble solids, carbon dioxide (CO2) production, lactic acid, and ethanol production. Therefore, for the final stage, two formulations (F1 and F8) of the CCD were chosen to be characterized in terms of proximate composition, microbiological composition of the kefir culture, analysis of organic compounds, sensory analysis, and enzymatic and microbiological characterization before and after simulation of in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. In the two chosen products, one can see that fermentation optimized the bioavailability of proteins due to the high proteolytic activity of the microorganisms in kefir and the increase in lipid content. In identifying microorganisms, there was a prevalence of Saccharomyces sp. yeasts. In the sensory analysis, the F8 formulation showed better results than the F1 formulation. In vitro, gastrointestinal digestion showed reduced lactic acid bacteria and yeast and increased acetic acid bacteria in the liquid phase for both formulations. In the enzymatic profile, there was a reduction in all enzymes analyzed for both formulations, except for amylase in F1, which went from 14.05 U/mL to 39.41 U/mL. Therefore, it is concluded that using WVEQ as a substrate for the product appears to be a viable alternative with nutritional and technological advantages for serving a specific market niche.

Análise sensorial e avaliação da atividade antioxidante de iogurte adicionado de polpa de juçara para valoração do fruto / Sensorial analysis and evaluation of antioxidant activity of yogurt added of jussara pulp for valuation of the fruit

Estudos sobre compostos bioativos com propriedades antioxidantes apontam para benefícios à saúde através de seu uso. Inseridas nesse grupo estão as antocianinas, cujos efeitos se relacionam à redução do estresse oxidativo e dependem da absorção e interação com a microbiota humana. Um ensaio com sistema modelo de iogurte observou aumento da bioacessibilidade e da capacidade antioxidante das antocianinas presentes na juçara quando a fruta participa do processo fermentativo. O presente estudo avaliou a capacidade antioxidante do iogurte adicionado de polpa de juçara. Dessa forma, o iogurte adicionado de polpa foi submetido à quantificação e identificação de antocianinas, determinação da capacidade antioxidante e análise sensorial. Verificou-se que o iogurte desse estudo possui as potencialidades dos compostos presentes na juçara.

Estudo da relação entre atividade antioxidante e contagem de bactérias láticas em iogurtes de frutas e leites fermentados comercializados em Santos-SP / Study of the relationship between antioxidant activity and bacterial count in fruit yoghurts and fermented milks available in Santos-SP

Os benefícios de probióticos e o potencial antioxidante dos alimentos estão amplamente descritos em literatura. O objetivo deste trabalho foi quantificar as bactérias lácticas presentes em produtos lácteos e analisar a atividade antioxidante desses produtos na busca por relação estatística entre esses parâmetros. Foram adquiridos produtos com alegações funcionais no rótulo e os mesmos foram submetidos à contagem de bactérias lácticas e a uma extração da atividade antioxidante, além de aferição do pH. Dentre os produtos avaliados, três deles apresentaram contagem de bactérias lácticas abaixo do esperado pela legislação vigente. Não foi possível detectar influência de variáveis na composição frente à ação antioxidante dos alimentos analisados e também não foi possível fazer associação entre a quantidade de bactérias lácticas e os valores de atividade antioxidante.