Microalgae can be regarded as an alternative and promising ingredient for food fortification or enrichment. Due to their nutritional composition, especially protein-high composition, they considered as a sustainable protein source for food. The aim of this work was to evaluate the Arthrospira platensis (Spirulina) dry biomass which is knowns as the greater protein and amino acid source in blue-green microalga, as innovative ingredient for newly formulated and produced biscuits and chocolates, for baby and children diets. All samples with Spirulina biomass showed significantly higher protein and amino acid content.

The present work was carried out to enhance biomass production of Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis Gomont) in a modified medium and to investigate “in vitro” its ability to produce antimicrobial substances against pathogenic bacteria and phytopathogenic fungi. The antibacterial activity was evaluated by the solid medium diffusion method on two pathogenic bacteria (Bacillus cereus & Klebsiella sp.), And the antifungal activity was evaluated on three phytopathogenic fungi (Alternaria solani, Cladosporium sp., Fusarium culmorum). The antibacterial test showed that the aqueous extract produced by S. platensis was more active against Gram-positive than on Gram-negative bacteria, the highest antibacterial activity was recorded against Bacillus cereus. Moreover, the Antifungal test showed that the aqueous extract was active against all three tested fungi and the highest antifungal activity was recorded against F. culmorum with over 90% inhibition of mycelial growth. The results of this research proved that cyanobacteria could be a good source for the production of antimicrobial agents which could be effective when compared with contemporary antimicrobial compounds and it can be used in the Biocontrol of several plant fungal diseases.

Spirulina platensis tek hücreli, fotosentetik bir mikroalg türüdür. Hem insan hem de hayvan tüketimi için protein ve fonksiyonel gıda katkı maddesidir. Yapısında keşfedilen değerli fitonütrientler ve pigmentler sayesinde sağlıklı beslenme, nutrasötik ve farmasötik alanda yoğun ilgi görmüştür. %5-6 toplam lipit oranının, %1,5-2 oranında çoklu doymamış yağ asitleri içeren (PUFAs) Spirulina, toplam PUFAs değerinin %36’sı kadar α-linoleik asit içermektedir. Ayrıca Linoleik Asit, Stearidonik Asit, Eikosapentaenoik Asit, Dodosaheksaenoik Asit, Araşidonik Asit gibi kıymetli yağ asitlerini de içermektedir. Bu çalışmada kahverengi yumurtacı tavuk (ATAK-S) yemlerine ilave edilen Spirulina ununun yumurta sarısı yağ asit kompozisyonu ve yumurta sarısı kolesterol seviyesine etkisi belirlenmiştir. 72 adet benzer canlı ağırlıkta 38 haftalık yumurtacı tavuk, her birinde 18 hayvan bulunacak şekilde 4 gruba rastgele dağıtılmıştır. Bireysel kafes sisteminde barındırılan tavuklar 8 hafta süreyle denemede tutulmuş ve %0 (Kontrol), %0,5, %1, %2 (%KM’ de) Spirulina unu içeren standart yumurtacı tavuk yemleriyle beslenmiştir. Deneme süresince 16:8 saatlik aydınlık:karanlık aydınlatma periyodu uygulanmıştır. Yem ve su ad libitum verilmiştir. Deneme sonucunda kontrol grubu ile kıyaslandığında, muamele grupları yumurta sarısı kolesterol miktarları arasındaki fark istatistiki açıdan önemsiz bulunmuştur. Yağ asidi komposizyonuna ilişkin elde edilen bulgulara göre rasyona ilave edilen Spirulina unu gruplar arasında linolenik asit miktarları üzerine etkili olmuştur.

Spirulina platensis (S. platensis) is a high-nutrient blue-green algae that has been used as a food supplement for a long time. It contains carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds essential for basic human nutrition. It is known to have anti-cancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, hepatoprotective, and hypocholesterolemic properties due to the bioactive compounds it contains. In this study, the effects of freeze-thawing, a rapid freezing (-20°C) and thawing (4°C) process, and ultrasonically assisted extraction techniques on the color, antioxidant capacity, total phenolic content, and phenolic composition of Spirulina platensis extracts were investigated. The antioxidant capacity of the extracts obtained was determined by two different methods, DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl) and ABTS (2,2-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazollin-6-sulfonic acid)). The sugar profile was determined by HPLC-RID and phenolic composition was determined by HPLC-ESI-DAD-MS/MS. The antioxidant activity and total phenolic content of samples prepared by the freeze-thawing were higher than those prepared by ultrasonic-assisted conventional extraction technique. In addition to ferulic acid 4-O-glucuronide and brevifolin carboxylate, an isocoumarin derivative, as the dominant phenolic compound in S. platensis extracts, a total of 10 phenolic compounds including catechin isomer, resveratrol C-hexoside, myricetin, ferulic acid, gallic acid, phloroglucinol, and lutein were detected. Glucose was the predominant sugar in both samples. The total sugar content was higher in the freeze-thawed samples (217.92 mg/100 g DW) than in the ultrasonic-assisted conventional extraction technique (182.91 mg/100 g DW). S. platensis has a significant amount of antioxidants, valuable secondary metabolites, and potential commercial applications and medicinal properties, but releasing these compounds is difficult due to the cell wall. This study was carried out to determine how different extraction techniques alter the release of bioactive compounds.