Safety assessment of the microbian natural colorant azafilone using C. elegans as an alternative model

• Grant number: 23/04896-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• Start date: September 01, 2023
• End date: December 26, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Pharmacology - Toxicology
• Principal Investigator: Denise Grotto
• Grantee: Talita Cristina Mena Segato
• Supervisor: Maria Fernanda Hornos Carneiro
• Host Institution: Pró-Reitoria de Pós-Graduação, Pesquisa, Extensão e Inovação. Universidade de Sorocaba (UNISO). Sorocaba , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Chile
• Associated to the scholarship: 22/02015-4 - Safety assessment of the natural azaphilone colorant from microbial sources: in vivo study, BP.MS

Abstract

Humans generally relate the color of food to its quality and freshness, which is why colors are so widely used in the food industry. The most used today are the synthetic colors due to their low cost and wide availability. However, the demand for healthier and more sustainable products has increased over the years, and therefore the production of dyes from microorganisms, or biocolorants, is seen as a promising alternative. However, for the use of novel foods and new ingredients commercially, proof of safety is necessary, and therefore this project aims to evaluate the safety of the new colorant azafilone obtained from the fungus Talaromyces amestolkiae, through a toxicological study in Caenorhabditis elegans. The nematodes will be cultured on plates with NGM (Nematode Growth Medium) agar with a layer of Escherichia coli. The toxicity of the dye will be determined in C. elegans using a survival dose-response curve, behavioral and fertility tests. (AU)