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The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of light intensity and sources of carbon and nitrogen on the cultivation of Spirulina maxima.

Cultures were carried out in a modified Zarrouk medium using urea, sodium acetate and glycerol. A Taguchi experimental design was used to evaluate the effect on the production of biocompounds: productivities in biomass, carbohydrates, phycocyanin and biochar were analyzed.

Statistical data analysis revealed that light intensity and sodium acetate concentration were the most important factors, being significant in three of the four response variables studied. The highest productivities in biomass (46.94 mg.L⁻¹.d⁻¹), carbohydrates (6.11 mg.L⁻¹.d⁻¹), phycocyanin (3.62 mg.L⁻¹.d⁻¹) and biochar (22, 48 mg.L⁻¹.d⁻¹) were achieved in experiment 4 of the Taguchi matrix, highlighting as the ideal condition for the production of biomass, carbohydrates and phycocyanin.

Sodium acetate and urea can be considered, respectively, as potential sources of carbon and nitrogen to increase Spirulina maxima productivity. From the results, an optimized cultivation condition for the sustainable production of bioproducts was obtained.

This work focuses on the study of the influence of light intensity and the use of alternative sources of nitrogen and carbon on the growth of Spirulina maxima, as well as on the influence on the productivity of biomass and biocompounds. There are few studies in the literature focused on the phycocyanin production from microalgae, justifying the need to deepen the subject.

The phycocyanin is a pigment present in the microalga Spirulina that has been studied due to its applicability as food coloring; however, it can be used due to the ability to act as an emulsifier or stabilizer in function of its protein characteristic. The purpose of this paper is to use aqueous extracts of Spirulina containing phycocyanin (EP) as a substitute of additives in the production of ice creams.

The study was divided in two sections: first, the influence of addition of EP in ice cream bases (that represent the ice cream preparation before air incorporation step) and second, the influence of addition of EP in five ice cream formulations, in which the differences were the addition of EP in substitution of stabilizer, Chantilly or emulsifier, one at a time or in substitution of all additives together, by the EP.

The different ice creams developed presented centesimal composition according to Brazilian legislation in relation to the chemical parameters. The EP presented emulsifying and stabilizing activity in the ice creams formulations acting in substitution of emulsifier and stabilizer presented in the standard formulation, not influencing the overall acceptability of consumers.

The authors demonstrate that the aqueous extract of Spirulina containing phycocyanin can be used as a natural additive in ice cream in substitution of emulsifiers and stabilizers normally used in this product, contributing to produce more healthy foods, once phycocyanin is an protein of high nutritional value.

The purpose of this paper is to acquaint the readers with the insights regarding the interventions of microalgal technology for production of metabolites and functional ingredients from microalgae for food and nutraceutical application and exploration of microalgae biomass for food application.

Various information databases such as journals, library catalogues and professional websites were used to collect information pertaining to application of microalgae in food and nutraceutical sector. Systematic review was made with recent studies covering the vital aspects of art of microalgae cultivation for metabolite production, functional ingredients from microalgae, market scenario and utilisation of microalgae biomass for the valorisation of the food products. Key points have been discussed after every section to highlight the practical implications to make this review more insightful for the readers.

Microalgal technology provides sustainable solution for its application in food and nutraceutical sector. The heart of metabolite production lies in the optimisation of cultivation conditions of microalgae. Wide array of functional components are obtained from microalgae. Microalgae offer an alternative source for omega-3 fatty acids. Microalgae is widely exploited for production of pigments, namely, ß-carotene, astaxanthin, lutein, phycocyanin and chlorophyll, that have important implication as natural colourants and nutraceuticals in food. Larger diversity of sterols found in microalgae confers bioactivity. Microalgae is finding its place in market shelves as nutraceuticals where its functional ingredients are in the form of powder, tablets, extract and beverages and in innovative products such as microalgae protein and fat, culinary algae oil and butter. Sprulina and Chlorella are popular choice for the supplementation of food products with microalgae biomass.

This is a comprehensive review that highlights the application of microalgal technology for the development of healthy food products and presents holistic intervention in food and nutraceutical sector.

The use of Spirulina sp. in food is limited by its bitter flavour and low absorption in the gastrointestinal system. The purpose of this study is to develop encapsulated Spirulina-alginate beads and to determine the physicochemical properties, the release efficiency in the simulated gastrointestinal fluid and the sensory acceptance of the beads when added into a rose syrup beverage.

Spirulina-alginate beads were prepared based on 3 × 3 factorial experiments consisting of three concentrations (1%, 2% and 3%) of plain sodium alginate and three concentrations (1, 3 and 5%) (w/v) of Spirulina. Encapsulated Spirulina-alginate beads were evaluated for their encapsulation effectiveness, size, texture, morphology, colour, in vitro release rate and sensory properties.

Sample H (3% sodium alginate + 1% Spirulina) had higher encapsulation efficiency (82.3%) but less protein (38.2 ppm) than Sample J (3% sodium alginate + 5% Spirulina) which produced more protein (126.4 ppm) but had lower encapsulation efficiency (54.5%). Alginate was the primary factor affecting bead size, and the texture became harder at 3% sodium alginate but softer at 5% Spirulina. As the concentration of Spirulina increased, the intensity of the green colour diminished. The encapsulated samples released test was better than the control samples, and Sample B (1% sodium alginate + 1% Spirulina) was preferred by the panellists in the sensory study.

This newly developed encapsulated Spirulina will improve the beverage acceptability, minimize the bitterness and increase the release percentage of Spirulina in simulated gastrointestinal.

Whey is a by-product of paneer, cheese and casein industry and considered as a dairy waste. Worldwide, approximately 180–1,900 million tons of whey is produced annually. Whey is classified as a high pollutant due to its organic matter level. Owing to its high chemical oxygen demand and biological oxygen demand, it is a big threat to the environment. Whey contains 4.5%–5.0% lactose, 0.6%–0.7% protein, 0.4%–0.5% lipids, vitamins and minerals. Due to its high nutritional profile, it is a good substrate for the microorganisms for production of natural pigments. The purpose of this paper is to review the utilization of low cost substrate (whey) for production of various types of pigments and their applications in different sectors.

The databases for the search included: Scopus, PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, Research gate and Google. The main search was directed towards different types of natural pigments, stability, technologies for enhancing their production and contribution towards circular economy. Approximately 100 research papers were initially screened. A global search was conducted about natural pigments. Research articles, review papers, books, articles in press and book chapters were the type of search for writing this review paper.

Production of natural pigments using whey and their addition in food products not only improves the colour of food but also enhances the antioxidant properties of food products, helping the health benefits by chelating free radicals from the body. The sustainable use of whey for production of natural pigments can improve the bio-based economy of different industries and thereof the national economy.

Efficient utilization of whey can bring a lot more opportunities for production of natural pigments in a sustainable manner. The sustainable approach and circular economy concepts will benefit the dependent industries and health conscious consumers. The potential uses of whey for the production of natural pigments using diverse organisms are highlighted in this paper.

The purpose of this paper is to determine both the physicochemical properties and lipid oxidation of sausages made from mechanically deboned chicken meat (MDCM) and the edible seaweed, Kappaphycus alvarezii (KA).

Four different sausage formulations were produced with different formulations containing 0(KA0), 2 (KA2), 4 (KA4) and 6 per cent (KA6) of KA.

Results have shown that the addition of KA increased the hardness and chewiness parameters, water holding capacity, redness (a*-value) and the pH value of the MDCM sausages (p<0.05). The adhesiveness, cohesiveness and springiness of all formulations showed no significant differences (p>0.05). The addition of KA reduced the cooking loss of MDCM sausages (p<0.05). However, the addition of KA made the sausages darker (lower L*-value) (p<0.05). Furthermore, the addition of KA aided in the reduction of lipid oxidation in the MDCM sausages when they were refrigerated at a temperature of 4°C for 12 days. The MDCM sausages that contained KA had lower two-thiobarbituric acid test values compared to the control sample (p<0.05) during the 12 days of storage at 4°C.

The addition of KA seaweed can potentially produce better quality MDCM sausages in terms of physicochemical properties and reduce the rate of lipid oxidation.

The purpose of this paper is to develop microalgae vegetable‐based gelled desserts (similar to “dairy desserts”) prepared with pea protein isolate, Spirulina maxima and Diacronema vlkianum biomass, rich in essential fatty acids (omega‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acid's (PUFA)). The effect of microalgae concentration and gelling temperature on the colour, texture and fatty acid profile of the gels was investigated.

Pea protein isolate (4 per cent), κ‐carrageenan (0.15 per cent) and starch (2.5 per cent) were used to produce a gelled dessert that was further enriched with microalgal biomass (0.1‐1.0 per cent). The gels were prepared using different temperatures, ranging from 75 to 90 ^○C. Colour, total pigments (carotenoids), texture and fatty acid profile of the gels were evaluated.

The addition of Diacronema and Spirulina microalgal biomass to vegetable gelled deserts, results in a novel alternative food product, with PUFA's (e.g. EPA, DHA and GLA), with favourable texture characteristics, particularly for Diacronema, due to the structural reinforcement, representing a new food market niche.

Nowadays there is an increasing consumer demand for more natural food products, presenting health benefits. Microalgae are able to enhance the nutritional content of conventional food and hence to positively affect humans health due to their original chemical composition, namely as a source of long chain omega‐3 PUFA.

As far as the authors are aware the use of these microalgae in gelled desserts, in association with vegetable proteins, is an innovative food application.

β-Carotene is the most appropriate and significant precursor of vitamin A. Synthetic carotene supplements have been known to pose a threat to human health, making natural sources such as the indefensible choice for the production and extraction of carotene.

This study considers Blakeslea trispora, a filamentous fungus, as a source of production of carotenoids by fermentation and wet and dry mycelium were used to analyse and obtain better extraction results.

In this study, natural oils such as soy oil and cottonseed oil were incorporated into fermentation media to increase the production of carotene. For the optimization process, Plackett–Burman and one-factor-at-a-time (OVAT) models were identified as being of great value.

OVAT was carried out for corn starch because it plays a major role in the production of carotene and the corn starch at 30 g/L concentration has shown the maximum activity of 3.48 mg/gm. After optimizing process variables, submerged fermentation was eventually carried out under highly controlled media conditions. The resulting product was quantified using UV spectroscopy and extraction of carotene has been observed in the presence of various solvents. Among a range of solvents used, the methylene Di chloride produced-carotene at 86% recovery at a significantly lower temperature of 35°C.

This study aims to synthesize pigment and resin from agro-wastes and use them in the formulation of eco-friendly surface coatings.

The pigments and resin were synthesized through a chemical modification of agro-wastes. The pigments were characterized by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and were screened for their antimicrobial activities. The physicochemical characteristics of the cashew nutshell liquid (CNSL)-modified resin were evaluated. These precursors and other natural additives were used to formulate surface coatings, and their drying and adhesive properties were evaluated using international testing methods.

It was observed that the curing of the CNSL-modified resin depended on time and temperature. The pigments exhibited antimicrobial activity against E. coli and S. aureus and had high melting points, affirming their stability. The chemically modified precursors successfully yielded surface coatings with acceptable drying times and adhesion to the base substrate.

The use of agro-wastes as the main components of the surface coatings implies waste valorization, a reduction in production costs and the creation of job opportunities for sustainable development. To increase the chemical, physical, corrosion resistance and antimicrobial qualities of paint compositions, chemically modified peanut skin extracts and CNSL can be used as pigments and resins, respectively. This could be a green approach to achieving the targets of Sustainable development goals 11 and 12.

The paper outlines a prospective approach to use unwanted waste (peanut skin, cashew nutshells) and other natural additives as industrial raw materials. These novel surface coating precursors are cost-effective, readily available, eco-friendly and could replace conventional precursors.