Aquaculture 2018
S e p t e m b e r 2 0 - 2 1 , 2 0 1 8
L i s b o n , P o r t u g a l
Page 22
Journal of
FisheriesSciences.comISSN: 1307-234X
E u r o p e a n S u mm i t o n
Aquaculture, Fisheries
and Horticulture
G
lobal demand for macroalgal and microalgal foods is growing, and algae
are increasingly being consumed for functional benefits beyond the
traditional considerations of nutrition. Among the principal algal sources are
red microalgae, which produce unique biochemicals including novel sulfated
polysaccharides (SP) (including dietary fibers), unsaturated fatty acids (EPA,
DHA, AA), natural pigments (phycobilproteins, zeaxanthin), and a variety of
other special chemicals (e.g., floridoside) and minerals. Of particular interest
are the red microalgae
Porphyridium
sp., whose cells are encapsulated within
a SP and extracellular portions are dissolved in the growth medium. Those
SP have unique rheological characteristics and have been shown to act as
a platform for metal incorporation, taking advantage of their ion-exchange
capabilities and their negative charge. The current study motivated by the
ongoing search for novel, bioactive ingredients that are capable of enhancing
and extending the functionality of emulsions investigated the use of SP from
red microalgae as potential stabilizers in food emulsions and the combination
of emulsifying and antibacterial activities of a Zn-PS complex.
Optimization & Characterization of Oil Emulsions:
The properties of emulsions
were characterized based on physical stability, electrokinetic charge and
overall appearance. In addition, the study examined emulsion responsiveness
to sonication and to major environmental stressors (2<pH< 8 and salinity 0-300
mM NaCl).
Antibacterial activities of a Zn-PS complex:
Dairy emulsions and oil-in water
emulsions were stable in low concentrations of a Zn-PS complex (<0.2% and
<500 ppm Zn). This complex was also shown to have higher effect on inhibition
of bacterial growthwhen comparedwith the algal polysaccharide alone. Overall,
the data support the potential of using functional sulfated polysaccharides
from red microalgae to stabilize emulsions and inhibit contamination in food
applications. This information is believed to be of importance for possible
utilization of red microalgal polysaccharides as novel emulsifiers in the
rational design of food emulsions and potentially in other food applications.
These encouraging results indicate that we should pursue the development of
red microalgae as novel functional foods.
Biography
Irit Dvir has completed her PhD at the Ben-Gurion University
of the Negev, Israel in 1999. She is an expert in the study
of algae and its uses in the food industry and as a dietary
supplement. Currently she is a Senior Lecturer and Head of
the Chemistry and Life Sciences program at Sapir Academic
College, Israel. She is a member of the Council of Young Israeli
Entrepreneurs and is always looking for original and innovative
research projects. She has published papers in reputed
international journals. Much of her work is interdisciplinary and
extends beyond red microalgae to include nutrition and food
manufacturing, development of novel functional foods that can
positively impact health and prevent or treat metabolic diseases
such as diabetes and obesity.
iritd@sapir.ac.ilRed microalgae as functional foods: an integrated study
Irit Dvir
1
and S Arad
2
1
Sapir Academic College, Israel
2
Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Israel
Irit Dvir et al., Journal of
FisheriesSciences.comVolume:12
DOI: 10.21767/1307-234X-C1-002