Work

Harnessing the Spirulina platensis-curcumin composites to mitigate algal odor and extend shelf life in fortified bread

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Exploring microalgae-based functional ingredients for food preservation and quality enhancement meets the consumers’ demand for healthier staple food. This study developed nutrient-fortified composite systems (SP@Cur) by loading curcumin (Cur) onto Spirulina platensis (SP) as bread improvers to enhance storage stability and flavor attributes. The results showed that as the Cur concentration in composite systems increased from 200 μg/mL (L-SP@Cur) to 800 μg/mL (H-SP@Cur), the drug-loading capacity of SP@Cur increased from 23.22% to 57.02%. After the addition of SP@Cur to bread, H-SP@Cur improved the bread’s textural properties, and effectively extended bread’s shelf life from 6 to 10 days during storage at room temperature. Furthermore, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and molecular docking analysis further confirmed Cur reduced the fishy odorants caused by SP via competitive inhibition with Hexanal and 1-Octen-3-ol, thereby improving the sensory palatability of bread. This work provides the feasibility of employing SP@Cur as multifunctional ameliorant in shelf-stable staple foods.

Source: Food Chemistry X

DOI: 10.1016/j.fochx.2025.103471