Encapsulation of Fresh <i>Spirulina</i> Biomass in Alginate Spheres for Yogurt Fortification
A new spherification of <i>Spirulina</i> (<i>Arthrospira platensis</i>) was developed for its use as a food supplement. The novelty of this study is the incorporation of fresh <i>Spirulina</i> biomass into alginate spheres formulated with 3% sodium alginate and 1....
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| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Microorganisms |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/7/1641 |
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| Summary: | A new spherification of <i>Spirulina</i> (<i>Arthrospira platensis</i>) was developed for its use as a food supplement. The novelty of this study is the incorporation of fresh <i>Spirulina</i> biomass into alginate spheres formulated with 3% sodium alginate and 1.5% calcium lactate and its addition into yogurt. The spheres and the fortified yogurt were stored at 4 °C for 15 days. The viability of <i>Spirulina</i>, either in contact with the yogurt or not, was evaluated both by OD<sub>550nm</sub> measurements and microscopic observations. Furthermore, the effect of <i>Spirulina</i> spheres on <i>Streptococcus thermophilus</i> and <i>Lactobacillus bulgaricus</i> was evaluated by enumerating them in standard media. <i>Spirulina</i> retained its viability for up to 15 days when stored separately from the yogurt matrix. <i>Spirulina</i> had a stimulating effect on the lactic acid bacteria: after 15 days, <i>L. bulgaricus</i> and <i>S. thermophilus</i> showed a load increase of 2.66% and 1.64%, respectively, compared to the load detected in the unfortified yogurt. Our study has demonstrated the technical feasibility of producing fresh <i>Spirulina</i> spheres, which can be used alone or added to food preparation. Nevertheless, additional investigations—including quantitative assessment of bioactive compounds and comprehensive sensory analysis—are essential to validate the methodology and support its scalability. |
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| ISSN: | 2076-2607 |