26 Encapsulation of Microalgal Pigments
643
pluvialis), also with the objective of developing an economical system for the cultivation of high-density microalgae. Thus, studies related to microencapsulation of
microalgae biomass have been reported in the literature to date. Regarding microalgal
compounds, such as pigments and antioxidants, microencapsulation studies are
more recent and increasingly detailed in order to preserve these compounds and
provide their application in a wide range of products. Thus, studies related to the
microencapsulation of microalgal compounds are described below.
Because of their health benefits, microalgal pigments have great commercial
value as natural dyes. However, they have low storage stability, high sensitivity to
light, heat, and oxygen. In addition, there are few reports on encapsulation of algae
extract and algal biomass, and only a few types of wall materials that may show
improved stability, shelf-life, and controlled release are being investigated. In this
sense, Bonilla-Ahumada et al. (2018) analyzed the microencapsulation of Tetraselmis
chuii biomass and investigated the effect of wall material and spray dryer processing
conditions on the preservation of β-carotene compounds and antioxidants. It was
observed that the microencapsulation process preserved 80–92% of β-carotene and
46–81% of the phenolic compounds present in the microalgae for up to three months
of storage in the absence of light at 25 °C and maltodextrin at 130 °C was the
best wall material. In addition, the microencapsulation process does not cause loss
of nutritional value, facilitates transport and handling, and preserves antioxidant
capacity. Similarly, Bonilla-Ahumada and Khandual (2016) analyzed the microencapsulation of compounds extracted from the microalgae Tetraselmis chuii, where
these compounds were microencapsulated in maltodextrin–gum arabic, pectin, and
gelatin by spray drying. These authors verified that the microencapsulation process
was able to preserve the nutritional characteristics as well as β-carotene, antioxidant
properties, total amount of carotenoids, and to provide the use of these compounds as
ingredients to increase the nutritional value of food products. In addition, maltodextrin and gum arabic provided greater preservation of β-catonene and that gelatin was
more efficient in preserving antioxidant activity.
Among the microalgal pigments, astaxanthin is the pigment most widely studied
in relation to microencapsulation, due to its significant antioxidant properties, which
in human nutrition has been gaining popularity as a dietary supplement, precisely
because of its powerful properties antioxidants (Higuera-Ciapara et al. 2004).
However, its rapid degradation in the presence of light and oxygen limits its application in different food formulations (Bustos-Garza et al. 2013). Thus, Higuera-Ciapara
et al. (2004) microencapsulated astaxanthin in glutaraldehyde crosslinked chitosan
by the multiple emulsion/solvent evaporation method with the objective of studying
its stability under different storage temperatures. In this study, it was observed that
there was no isomerization or chemical degradation of astaxanthin under storage at
25, 35, and 45 °C for 8 weeks, the microencapsulation process being efficient for the
protection and, consequently, the stability of this compound. Similarly, Bustos-Garza
et al. (2013) microencapsulated astaxanthin in different encapsulating materials by
spray drying in order to evaluate their stability against different pH conditions. It
was observed that whey protein was the most suitable wall material because astaxanthin presented greater stability in relation to color and antioxidant activity. In
643
pluvialis), also with the objective of developing an economical system for the cultivation of high-density microalgae. Thus, studies related to microencapsulation of
microalgae biomass have been reported in the literature to date. Regarding microalgal
compounds, such as pigments and antioxidants, microencapsulation studies are
more recent and increasingly detailed in order to preserve these compounds and
provide their application in a wide range of products. Thus, studies related to the
microencapsulation of microalgal compounds are described below.
Because of their health benefits, microalgal pigments have great commercial
value as natural dyes. However, they have low storage stability, high sensitivity to
light, heat, and oxygen. In addition, there are few reports on encapsulation of algae
extract and algal biomass, and only a few types of wall materials that may show
improved stability, shelf-life, and controlled release are being investigated. In this
sense, Bonilla-Ahumada et al. (2018) analyzed the microencapsulation of Tetraselmis
chuii biomass and investigated the effect of wall material and spray dryer processing
conditions on the preservation of β-carotene compounds and antioxidants. It was
observed that the microencapsulation process preserved 80–92% of β-carotene and
46–81% of the phenolic compounds present in the microalgae for up to three months
of storage in the absence of light at 25 °C and maltodextrin at 130 °C was the
best wall material. In addition, the microencapsulation process does not cause loss
of nutritional value, facilitates transport and handling, and preserves antioxidant
capacity. Similarly, Bonilla-Ahumada and Khandual (2016) analyzed the microencapsulation of compounds extracted from the microalgae Tetraselmis chuii, where
these compounds were microencapsulated in maltodextrin–gum arabic, pectin, and
gelatin by spray drying. These authors verified that the microencapsulation process
was able to preserve the nutritional characteristics as well as β-carotene, antioxidant
properties, total amount of carotenoids, and to provide the use of these compounds as
ingredients to increase the nutritional value of food products. In addition, maltodextrin and gum arabic provided greater preservation of β-catonene and that gelatin was
more efficient in preserving antioxidant activity.
Among the microalgal pigments, astaxanthin is the pigment most widely studied
in relation to microencapsulation, due to its significant antioxidant properties, which
in human nutrition has been gaining popularity as a dietary supplement, precisely
because of its powerful properties antioxidants (Higuera-Ciapara et al. 2004).
However, its rapid degradation in the presence of light and oxygen limits its application in different food formulations (Bustos-Garza et al. 2013). Thus, Higuera-Ciapara
et al. (2004) microencapsulated astaxanthin in glutaraldehyde crosslinked chitosan
by the multiple emulsion/solvent evaporation method with the objective of studying
its stability under different storage temperatures. In this study, it was observed that
there was no isomerization or chemical degradation of astaxanthin under storage at
25, 35, and 45 °C for 8 weeks, the microencapsulation process being efficient for the
protection and, consequently, the stability of this compound. Similarly, Bustos-Garza
et al. (2013) microencapsulated astaxanthin in different encapsulating materials by
spray drying in order to evaluate their stability against different pH conditions. It
was observed that whey protein was the most suitable wall material because astaxanthin presented greater stability in relation to color and antioxidant activity. In