Chapter 16
Chlorophylls as Food Additives
Andrêssa Silva Fernandes, Pricila Pinheiro Nass, Álisson Oliveira,
and Leila Queiroz Zepka
Abstract There is a growing consensus in the world food industry that aims at
replacing synthetic ingredients by natural ingredients. In this respect, the industrial relevance of microalgae as sources of a broad spectrum of bioproducts and
as promising feedstocks for natural additives production systems is constantly
increasing. Among the numerous chemical specialties present in the constitution of
the biomass of these microorganisms, chlorophylls molecules, and their derivatives
are emerging compounds in research and development to achieve greater commercial exploitation. Although there is a broad application of chlorophylls molecules,
its strong green colour is gaining importance as food colouring. Consequently,
microalgae as production systems for obtaining natural chlorophylls and derived
compounds, they are highly sustainable sources, consisting of a series of unique,
including chlorophylls c, d, and f with remarkable biological properties and relevant technological characteristics. In this sense, the present chapter describes the
characteristic structures of chlorophylls and their derivatives, distribution, including
aspects related the biological properties of these compounds. Finally, it presents a
comprehensive overview of its participation in the food industry and the current legal
regulations of different countries for its application in foodstuffs.
Keywords Chlorophyll compounds · Microalgae · Green colourant · Food
colouring
16.1 Introduction
In recent decades, the changes in dietary habits and the modification of nutritional
demands promoted to considerable alterations in food formulation, directing the
market trends, and consequently the industrial interest for foods with the addition
of natural additives in replacement and/or reduction of artificial additives (Martins
et al. 2019).
A. S. Fernandes · P. P. Nass · Á. Oliveira · L. Q. Zepka (B)
Food Science and Technology Department, Federal University of Santa Maria, UFSM, Santa
Maria, Frederico Westphalen, RS, Brazil
e-mail: zepkaleila@yahoo.com.br
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
E. Jacob-Lopes et al. (eds.), Pigments from Microalgae Handbook,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-50971-2_16
391
Chlorophylls as Food Additives
Andrêssa Silva Fernandes, Pricila Pinheiro Nass, Álisson Oliveira,
and Leila Queiroz Zepka
Abstract There is a growing consensus in the world food industry that aims at
replacing synthetic ingredients by natural ingredients. In this respect, the industrial relevance of microalgae as sources of a broad spectrum of bioproducts and
as promising feedstocks for natural additives production systems is constantly
increasing. Among the numerous chemical specialties present in the constitution of
the biomass of these microorganisms, chlorophylls molecules, and their derivatives
are emerging compounds in research and development to achieve greater commercial exploitation. Although there is a broad application of chlorophylls molecules,
its strong green colour is gaining importance as food colouring. Consequently,
microalgae as production systems for obtaining natural chlorophylls and derived
compounds, they are highly sustainable sources, consisting of a series of unique,
including chlorophylls c, d, and f with remarkable biological properties and relevant technological characteristics. In this sense, the present chapter describes the
characteristic structures of chlorophylls and their derivatives, distribution, including
aspects related the biological properties of these compounds. Finally, it presents a
comprehensive overview of its participation in the food industry and the current legal
regulations of different countries for its application in foodstuffs.
Keywords Chlorophyll compounds · Microalgae · Green colourant · Food
colouring
16.1 Introduction
In recent decades, the changes in dietary habits and the modification of nutritional
demands promoted to considerable alterations in food formulation, directing the
market trends, and consequently the industrial interest for foods with the addition
of natural additives in replacement and/or reduction of artificial additives (Martins
et al. 2019).
A. S. Fernandes · P. P. Nass · Á. Oliveira · L. Q. Zepka (B)
Food Science and Technology Department, Federal University of Santa Maria, UFSM, Santa
Maria, Frederico Westphalen, RS, Brazil
e-mail: zepkaleila@yahoo.com.br
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
E. Jacob-Lopes et al. (eds.), Pigments from Microalgae Handbook,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-50971-2_16
391