Guidance for formulating ingredients/products from Chlorella vulgaris and Arthrospira platensis considering carotenoid and chlorophyll bioaccessibility and cellular uptake

• Published in: Food research international Vol. 157; p. 111469
• Main Authors: Nass, Pricila P., do Nascimento, Tatiele C., Fernandes, Andrêssa S., Caetano, Patrícia A., de Rosso, Veridiana V., Jacob-Lopes, Eduardo, Zepka, Leila Q.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.07.2022
• Subjects: Arthrospira platensis; Caco-2 cells; Chlorella vulgaris; In vitro digestion; Microalgae-based foods; Natural pigments; Natural pigments; Arthrospira platensis; Caco-2 cells; In vitro digestion; Chlorella vulgaris; Microalgae-based foods
• ISSN: 0963-9969; 1873-7145
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2022.111469

[Display omitted] •Bioaccessibility and cellular uptake of carotenoids and chlorophylls were evaluated.•Carotenoid and chlorophyll bioaccessibility depend on the ingredients/products.•Pigments in the extracts are the most bioaccessible than in the dried and wet biomass.•Carotenes and pheophytins are uptakes in greater proportion by Caco-2 cells.•Chlorella and Arthrospira showed potential as sources of bioaccessible pigments. This study aimed to investigate the impact of different microalgal matrices on the bioaccessibility and uptake by Caco-2 cells of carotenoids and chlorophylls. In this way, the microalgal ingredients/products (whole dry biomass [WDB], whole ultrasonicated paste [WUP], and liposoluble pigment emulsion [LPE]) obtained from Chlorella vulgaris and Arthrospira platensis were submitted to in vitro simulated digestion. Apical uptake of pigments in micelles generated during the simulated digestion by Caco-2 human intestinal cells was determined. The influence of simulated digestion on carotenoid and chlorophyll stability and bioaccessibility was assessed by HPLC-PDA-MS/MS and the carotenoids and chlorophylls’ bioaccessibility and cellular uptake were shown to be boosted according to the matrix (LPE > WUP > WDB). Our findings showed that Chlorella vulgaris and Arthrospira platensis could be considered in formulations when carotenoids and chlorophylls are the target molecules in the ingredients/products.