Functional and Bioactive Benefits of Selected Microalgal Hydrolysates Assessed In Silico and In Vitro

Area of Science:

• Food Science and Technology
• Biotechnology
• Marine Biology

Background:

• Microalgae are a rich source of bioactive compounds.
• Existing peptide databases like BIOPEP-UWM highlight the therapeutic potential of peptides.
• Specific microalgal species, Chlorella and Scenedesmus, are explored for their bioactive peptide content.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a process for generating protein-rich, bioactive peptide hydrolysates from mixed Chlorella and Scenedesmus species.
• To evaluate the techno-functional properties of these hydrolysates for food ingredient applications.
• To identify novel bioactive peptides and their potential health benefits.

Main Methods:

• Enzymatic hydrolysis using Alcalase and Viscozyme.
• Filtration techniques for hydrolysate preparation.
• Assessment of techno-functional properties (foaming, emulsification, solubility, water/oil holding capacity).
• In vitro bioactivity screening, mass spectrometry (MS), and in silico analysis for peptide identification.

Main Results:

• Generated protein-rich hydrolysates from mixed Chlorella and Scenedesmus species.
• Assessed and characterized techno-functional properties relevant to food applications.
• Identified six novel bioactive peptides with predicted anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and umami attributes.
• Peptides from Chlorella mix: YDYIGNNPAKGGLF, YIGNNPAKGGLF.
• Peptides from Scenedesmus mix: IEWYGPDRPKFL, RSPTGEIIFGGETM, TVQIPGGERVPFLF, IEWYGPDRPKFLGPF.

Conclusions:

• The developed enzymatic hydrolysis and filtration process effectively generates bioactive peptide-rich hydrolysates from microalgae.
• These microalgal hydrolysates possess valuable techno-functional properties, making them suitable as food ingredients.
• The identified novel peptides offer potential for significant health benefits, including anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic effects, contributing to global health improvement.