Microalgae-based food additives for improved shelf life and nutritional value

It has been demonstrated that microalgal bioactive chemicals have beneficial health effects, including cardiovascular protection, as well as antihypertensive, anti-obesity, antioxidative, and anticancer properties. However, because of species diversity, biomass variations, and cultivation parameters, the functional food business has encountered numerous difficulties in utilizing microalgal biomass. Microalgae are an example of these novel foods; they are aquatic microorganisms rich in a variety of bioactive compounds. Over the past decade, significant advances in genetic engineering techniques have led to the effective modification of many model microalgae to facilitate the accumulation of specific value-added chemicals. The food industry is interested in obtaining preservative chemicals from microalgae biomass because it can enhance the production of bioactive compounds under controlled conditions. Several microalgae species have been used as natural resources because of the variety of chemicals they contain that have been successful in terms of both nutritional and technological criteria when added to meals or animal feeds. However, as stated earlier, due to species diversity, differences in biomass, and cultural parameters, the functional food industry has faced several difficulties in utilizing microalgal biomass. This study aims to investigate the effect of various applications of microalgae between two type of microalgae, as follows: (i) the incorporation of Spirulina platensis in yogurt whose antioxidant activity increased by 35% in 2% Spirulina yogurt, and (ii) the incorporation of Chlorella vulgaris in bread products, which demonstrates an antioxidant activity increase of 40% in 2% Chlorella bread.