570
Alexandra Galetovi´ c C. and L. Dufossé
22.6 Concluding Remarks
Microorganisms and algae are the main sources of wonderful natural pigments. The
interest in the search for alternative sources to synthetic dyes has made pigments
such as carotenes and phycobiliproteins the focus of scientific studies that show their
structural characteristics, toxicity, antioxidant properties, and stability to support
and encourage their use with food and analytical grade in cosmetic, food, and
pharmaceutical industry.
The blue phycocyanin pigment of algae and cyanobacteria is commercially appreciated because blue pigments are difficult to find in nature. The disadvantage of
natural pigments is their low stability due to exposure to high temperatures, light,
pH, humidity, and therefore loss of color. Due to the above, the addition of edible
preservatives has helped improve the stability of phycobiliproteins as well as the
recent use of microencapsulation in confectionery, pastry, and dairy products.
The challenge in the field of phycobiliproteins is to improve the stability at high
temperatures for its use in food in order to guarantee food safety. Another point
of interest, in the study of phycobiliproteins, is the increasing knowledge about
biochemistry and molecular biology of these pigments in microorganisms that are
able to grow in extreme environments. This information undoubtedly opens a field
of research to improve the stabilization of phycobiliproteins using molecular tools
and their subsequent application in biotechnology.
Acknowledgements Universidad de Antofagasta, Chile Grant number Semillero de Investigación,
SI-5305 and CeBiB Grant number FB0001 (CONICYT, Chile).
References
Antelo, F. S., Costa, J. A. V., & Kalil, S. J. (2008). Thermal degradation kinetics of the phycocyanin
from spirulina platensis. Biochemical Engineering Journal, 41(1), 43–47. https://doi.org/10.1016/
j.bej.2008.03.012.
Berks, D. S., Crespi, H. L., & Katz, J. J. (1963). Isolation, amino acid composition and some physicochemical properties of the protein deuterio-phycocyanin. Journal of the American Chemical
Society, 85(1), 8–14. https://doi.org/10.1021/ja00884a002.
Chaiklahan, R., Chirasuwan, N., & Bunnag, B. (2012). Stability of phycocyanin extracted from
spirulina sp.: Influence of temperature, pH and preservatives. Process Biochemistry, 47(4), 659–
664. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procbio.2012.01.010.
Chen, C.-H., Roth, L. G., MacColl, R., & Berns, D. S. (1994). Thermodynamics elucidation of the
structural stability of a thermophilic protein. Biophysical Chemistry, 50(3), 313–321. https://doi.
org/10.1016/0301-4622(93)E0102-B.
Choi, W. Y., & Lee, H. Y. (2018). Kinetic analysis of stabilizing C-phycocyanin in the spirulina
platensis extracts from ultrasonic process associated with effects of light and temperature. Applied
Sciences, 8(9). https://doi.org/10.3390/app8091662 (Switzerland).
Couteau, C., Baudry, S., Roussakis, C., & Coiffard, L. J. M. (2004). Study of thermodegradation of
phycocyanin from spirulina platensis. Sciences Des Aliments, 24(5), 415–421.
Alexandra Galetovi´ c C. and L. Dufossé
22.6 Concluding Remarks
Microorganisms and algae are the main sources of wonderful natural pigments. The
interest in the search for alternative sources to synthetic dyes has made pigments
such as carotenes and phycobiliproteins the focus of scientific studies that show their
structural characteristics, toxicity, antioxidant properties, and stability to support
and encourage their use with food and analytical grade in cosmetic, food, and
pharmaceutical industry.
The blue phycocyanin pigment of algae and cyanobacteria is commercially appreciated because blue pigments are difficult to find in nature. The disadvantage of
natural pigments is their low stability due to exposure to high temperatures, light,
pH, humidity, and therefore loss of color. Due to the above, the addition of edible
preservatives has helped improve the stability of phycobiliproteins as well as the
recent use of microencapsulation in confectionery, pastry, and dairy products.
The challenge in the field of phycobiliproteins is to improve the stability at high
temperatures for its use in food in order to guarantee food safety. Another point
of interest, in the study of phycobiliproteins, is the increasing knowledge about
biochemistry and molecular biology of these pigments in microorganisms that are
able to grow in extreme environments. This information undoubtedly opens a field
of research to improve the stabilization of phycobiliproteins using molecular tools
and their subsequent application in biotechnology.
Acknowledgements Universidad de Antofagasta, Chile Grant number Semillero de Investigación,
SI-5305 and CeBiB Grant number FB0001 (CONICYT, Chile).
References
Antelo, F. S., Costa, J. A. V., & Kalil, S. J. (2008). Thermal degradation kinetics of the phycocyanin
from spirulina platensis. Biochemical Engineering Journal, 41(1), 43–47. https://doi.org/10.1016/
j.bej.2008.03.012.
Berks, D. S., Crespi, H. L., & Katz, J. J. (1963). Isolation, amino acid composition and some physicochemical properties of the protein deuterio-phycocyanin. Journal of the American Chemical
Society, 85(1), 8–14. https://doi.org/10.1021/ja00884a002.
Chaiklahan, R., Chirasuwan, N., & Bunnag, B. (2012). Stability of phycocyanin extracted from
spirulina sp.: Influence of temperature, pH and preservatives. Process Biochemistry, 47(4), 659–
664. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procbio.2012.01.010.
Chen, C.-H., Roth, L. G., MacColl, R., & Berns, D. S. (1994). Thermodynamics elucidation of the
structural stability of a thermophilic protein. Biophysical Chemistry, 50(3), 313–321. https://doi.
org/10.1016/0301-4622(93)E0102-B.
Choi, W. Y., & Lee, H. Y. (2018). Kinetic analysis of stabilizing C-phycocyanin in the spirulina
platensis extracts from ultrasonic process associated with effects of light and temperature. Applied
Sciences, 8(9). https://doi.org/10.3390/app8091662 (Switzerland).
Couteau, C., Baudry, S., Roussakis, C., & Coiffard, L. J. M. (2004). Study of thermodegradation of
phycocyanin from spirulina platensis. Sciences Des Aliments, 24(5), 415–421.