Tracing the Impact of Domestic Storage Conditions on Antioxidant Activity and Lipid Profiles in the Edible Microalgae <i>Chlorella vulgaris</i> and <i>Tetraselmis chui</i>
2024
Diana Lopes | Felisa Rey | Alexandrina Gomes | Luís Duarte | João Pereira | Marisa Pinho | Tânia Melo | Rosário Domingues
The microalgae <i>Chlorella vulgaris</i> and <i>Tetraselmis chui</i> are valued for their nutrient-rich content, including lipids and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). However, little is known about how storage and processing affect their lipid quality. This study aimed to assess the impact of domestic storage and cooking practices in dried biomass of <i>C. vulgaris</i> and <i>T. chui</i>. Four conditions were tested: control (newly opened package), light (storage at room temperature and daily light regimen for three weeks), frozen (storage in the freezer at −20 °C for three weeks), and heated (three cycles of 90 min at 100 °C). Lipid extracts were analyzed by GC-MS and LC-MS, and antioxidant activity through DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging assays. Tested storage conditions promoted a decrease in fatty acid content and in diacyl/lyso lipid species ratios of phospholipid (PC/LPC, PE/LPE) and betaine lipids (DGTS/MGTS). Lipid extracts from light treatment showed the lowest antioxidant activity in <i>C. vulgaris</i> (ABTS, IC40: 104.9; DPPH, IC20: 187.9 ± 15.0), while heat affected the antioxidant activity of <i>T. chui</i> (ABTS, IC40: 88.5 ± 2.8; DPPH, IC20 209.4 ± 10.9). These findings underscore the impact of managing storage and processing conditions to optimize the nutritional and functional benefits of <i>C. vulgaris</i> and <i>T. chui</i> in food and feed applications.
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