Funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.3, Theme 10.
Funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.3, Theme 10.
Fermented microalgae as functional supplements
Coordinator
Reformulation or improvement of relevant food products in the national context in order to: a) implement the nutritional characteristics also by reducing antinutrients or using bioprocessed ingredients (from raw products to ingredients) and limit the use of undesirable components (e.g. by using bioactives) along the food system b) improve food formulation and composition based on consumer perception and needs identified for specific target groups (in connection with Spoke 5 and 6) c) promote clear and ad hoc labelling as an information tool (in connection with Spoke 1 and 7) to increase the willingness to buy improved foods d) guarantee safety and affordability of new products (in connection with Spoke 1 and 3).
Identification of nutrient and non-nutrient food components (and their metabolic products) potentially involved in the promotion of consumer health, and evaluation of their bio accessibility, bioavailability, and effect on the gut microbiota, using in silico, in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo approaches on humans/animals to confirm the actual absorption and bioactivity of non-nutrient components also considering specific dietary patterns and target groups.
Selection of raw materials/ingredients with improved nutritional characteristics and limited undesirable components (M12)
Evaluation of the bioavailability and bioactivity of at least two components of foods proven to directly impact human health (M36)
Microorganisms represent an excellent source of bioactive compounds with great health-promoting potential. Cyanobacteria and microalgae are among the most promising. These photosynthetic organisms are already consumed as a food supplement and are rich in bioactive compounds that have proven several functional characteristics. At the same time, lactic acid fermentation is a biological process where lactic acid bacteria (LAB) metabolise organic matrices, converting them into high-value-added products and bioactive compounds. Thanks to LAB metabolism, sugars, proteins, and lipids that constitute the matrices are modified, leading to a product with improved composition. In this project, new fermented food supplements will be formulated, and several bioactivities will be assessed in order to produce nutritionally valuable products with health-promoting activities. The growing consumers' interest in algae and fermented products makes this kind of food supplement a promising way to promote health.
The production of fermented microalgae food supplements with different bioactivities is an interesting prospect that could bring important and different approaches to promote consumers' health. Considering previous studies, it is expected that fermented microalgae could present many interesting bioactivities. In the proposed work, the bioactivities of the produced fermented food supplements will be tested for the first time, and the obtained results could also lead to substantial economic implications. A non-pharmacological approach could be less invasive than the traditional use of drugs. It is expected that this project could have a high scientific impact opening new knowledge relating lactic acid bacteria and their metabolisms to lipid-reducing activity or other relevant bioactivities. At the same time, it is expected that this food supplement could also be a way to promote the maintenance of healthy intestinal microbiota.
