Bioactivity of Fucoidan as an Antimicrobial Agent in a New Functional Beverage

Seaweeds are a sustainable source of novel functional ingredients with applicability in pharmaceutics, biotechnology, and food science. The bioactivity of most of these marine compounds has scarcely been studied. The present study overviews the bioactivity of the polysaccharide fucoidan derived from Fucus vesiculosus brown algae as an antimicrobial agent against Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. The results obtained in vitro in reference medium reveal a bacteriostatic and bactericidal effect of fucoidan against both pathogens, this bioactivity being significantly dependent (p-value ≤ 0.05) on the concentration, 5–1000 µg/mL, temperature, 8–37 ◦C, and exposure time, 0–12 days. The results were validated in the formulation of a new functional pasteurized apple beverage to be commercialized under refrigeration. Fucoidan added at 25–100 µg/mL was highly effective against both pathogens. These results increase knowledge for the future formulation of new functional beverages that include marine compounds (high content in fibre, high content in protein; prebiotic and antioxidant properties), additionally revealing antimicrobial potential.

This research was funded by the [Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, MINECO] and [FEDER] grant number [AGL2013-48993-C2-2-R]. The present research work was funded by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and with FEDER funds through project AGL2013-48993-C2-2-R. Maria Consuelo Pina-Pérez is grateful to the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) for providing a postdoctoral contract under the Juan de la Cierva-Incorporación programme at the Centre of Advanced Food Microbiology, Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV), Excelencia Profesional de Maestría en Ciencias Agropecuarias SENACYT-IFARHU program, and also to the European Commission for the funds provided to her under the H2020 MSCA programme, reference EU 748314.

Peer reviewed