Microaquaculture
Scientists have figured out how to make superfood from microalgae
Scientists of the I. Kant BFU have developed a promising method for extracting proteins, lipids and other useful substances from microalgae. Experts believe that the protein obtained from underwater plants is a new "superhero" of the food industry, which will help create desserts and other food products for the prevention of diabetes, hypertension, anemia and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The results of the study are published in the journal Foods (Babich et al., Isolation of Valuable Biological Substances from Microalgae Culture).
Microalgae are marine and freshwater unicellular organisms invisible to the naked eye. According to scientists, they are rich in useful substances: proteins, polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates.
Specialists of the Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University have developed methods for purification, detection and characterization of protein concentrate, carbohydrates, lipids and neutral fats from microalgae Chlorella vulgaris, Arthrospira platensis and Dunaliella salina. "The data obtained showed that microalgae are a "reservoir" of valuable protein complexes for the preparation of functional foods. For example, dairy products, pasta and even desserts that prevent hypertension, diabetes, anemia, stomach ulcers and other problems with the gastrointestinal tract," said Stanislav Sukhoi, head of the Laboratory of Microbiology and Biotechnology at the I. Kant BFU.
Stanislav Sukhoi during the cultivation of microalgae in the Laboratory of Microbiology and Biotechnology of the I. Kant BFU.
According to him, the list of "merits" of microalgae does not end there. The elements obtained from them can increase the productivity of reservoirs and soil fertility, as well as participate in environmental monitoring as indicator organisms.
"The list of useful properties and functional products contained in microalgae is constantly being updated. In many ways, the effect of microalgae depends on their specific species and habitat. In addition, algae in the process of growth and development consume carbon dioxide, and thereby contribute to increasing the carbon status of the place where they grow or are grown artificially," Sukhoi said.
He also added that it is easier and cheaper to cultivate microalgae than ordinary plants. They only need carbon dioxide and sunlight to live. This means that it is possible to grow an amount of algae equivalent to plant crops at a much lower cost.
According to scientists, algae proteins and their extraction are a little-explored area, which opens up a wide field for both scientific discoveries and industrial applications. The microalgae of the Kaliningrad region studied in the course of the study have not been subjected to a close analysis from the point of view of their usefulness to date.
These studies were conducted with the financial support of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (Contract No. 19-316-60001).
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