Spirulina is unique functional ingredient for various foods

Spirulina is source of antioxidants and vitamins (E, proA, all B group, but B12), minerals, like Fe and Ca, various enzimes and all essential aminoacids. Dried spirulina contian a lot of protein, up to 70 %, but fresh spirulina main value is high content of antioxidants. Antioxidants are sensitive to drying with hot air and therefore most of them are lost during drying.

Spirulina is a unique TASTELESS functional ingredient. Some of properties found in various authors studies:

• natural fermentation booster for milk and fermented soy beverages
• masking sour and bitter aftertaste
• as an antimicrobial agent against drug-resistant food-borne bacterial pathogens in juices, purees, smoothies etc.
  
• deep green colorant
• anti-aging food ingredient
• soft cheese ingredient to improve protein, water, fat, ß carotene content, and texture
• ice cream ingredient to improve protein, total solids, fat and total sugar content, overrun, melting point, and sensory properties
• enhancing growth and survival rate of lactic acid bacteria present in yogurt
• sports drink ingredient to reduce lactic acid and reduce muscle inflammation after high-intensity training

Read more about these functions and details in articles below.

Antimicrobial activity  Spirulina against food-borne bacterial pathogens

Spirulina contain high quantity of polyphenols exhibiting broad spectrum antimicrobial effects against drug-resistant food-borne bacterial pathogen.  Secondary metabolites of spirulina are active against both gram-positive  (Staphylococcus aureus) and gram-negative (E.coli) pathogens. Work results suggests that phenolic compounds from Spirulina provide a natural and sustainable source of food preservatives.

Full article (Alshuniaber 2021)

Inhibits Growth of Fungi and Bacteria in Unpasteurised Apple Juice

A. platensis (spirulina) or its fractions were added to the sterilised apple juice inoculated with Aureobasidium pullulans LW14 and stored at 4 °C for 96 h. When A. platensis biomass was added to the sterilised apple juice (1.15% w/v), it effectively inhibited growth of a fungi A. pullulans LW14 and the metabolism of all analysed sugars (glucose, sucrose and fructose). Protein fraction added to the sterilised apple juice contributed significantly to mycostatic properties of A. platensis. 

Full article (Wajda 2020)

Spirulina against Pseudomonas and  Listeria

A. platensis extract (0.1%, 0.15%, 0.2%, 0.25%, 0.3% and 0.5% v/v) were tested on Pseudomonas fluorescens and Serratia liquefaciens, two species commonly involved in food spoilage, and Listeria innocua, as representative of the human food borne pathogenic species Listeria monocytogenes. The results confirmed the antimicrobial potential of A. platensis extract

(Bancalari 2020)

Yoghurt enriched by Spirulina

The addition of Spirulina platensis into yoghurt can increase the quality of yoghurt especially on nutritional and functional properties of the product.  Yoghurt with different concentration of
S. platensis (0.5%; 0.75%; 1%; 2% and 3%) was tested. The best acceptance of panelists (hedonic test included appearance, flavor, taste and consistency) was for  1%  of S. platensis addition. Addition of S. platensis powder on yoghurt has revealed in increasing number and accelerate growth of lactic acid bacteria. This is explained that spirulina is a nutrient source for lactic acid bacteria.

Full article (Agustini 2017)

Spirulina role in vegan kefir

Increasing Spirulina platensis concentration increased the counts of lactobacilli and lactococci and the total phenolic content of kefir, whereas pH values of kefir samples decreased. An increase in the Spirulina platensis amount was correlated with lower L*, a*, and b* values than control samples. Spirulina powder was added in concentration of 0.25% and 0.50%. Titratable acidity, pH, water holding capacity, and microbiological counts were measured in kefir samples for 21 days. According to the results, Spirulina platensis can be considered as a promising functional food component to improve the prebiotic potential and bioactive quality of foods.

Atik 2021