Digestibility, bioaccessibility and bioactivity of proteins and phenolic compounds from Sargassum sp.

• Grant number: 23/12726-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: August 01, 2024
• End date: January 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Nutrition - Nutrition Biochemistry
• Principal Investigator: Maria Teresa Pedrosa Silva Clerici
• Grantee: Bruna Lago Tagliapietra
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos (FEA). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

This research project aims to explore the nutritional and technological potential of marine algae of the species Sargassum sp., collected on the northern coast of the state of São Paulo, Brazil. With the growing need to promote healthy and sustainable diets, marine algae emerge as an environmentally friendly food source, offering a promising alternative for the production of high-quality foods. The study seeks to evaluate the digestibility, bioaccessibility, and bioactivity of proteins and phenolic compounds present in Sargassum sp. through various biotechnological processes. Additionally, it aims to develop biscuits enriched with this seaweed, harnessing its potential as a functional ingredient. The research also intends to investigate the phenolic profile of the algae using a metabolomic approach and assess the impact of digestion on the bioactivity of these compounds. Furthermore, there is a focus on human resource development through mentoring undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as international collaboration with the Institute of Food Science and Technology in Madrid, Spain. This project will contribute to the understanding of the nutritional and technological properties of Sargassum sp. algae and promote the development of innovative food products while expanding scientific knowledge about marine algae in the Brazilian context.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DO NASCIMENTO, GUSTAVO COSTA; TAGLIAPIETRA, BRUNA LAGO; DA SILVA, LUAN RAMOS; VIEIRA, FLAVIA DE PAULA; NOLASCO, MARCOS VINICIUS FLORES MIRANDA; NABESHIMA, ELIZABETH HARUMI; BARROS, DOMINGOS RODRIGUES; PINTO, CAMILA DA COSTA; DE SOUZA, SERGIO MICHIELON; CLERICI, MARIA TERESA PEDROSA SILVA. Technological and Functional Potentialities of Mairá (Casimirella rupestris) and Ariá (Goeppertia allouia) Starches. PLANT FOODS FOR HUMAN NUTRITION, v. 80, n. 1, p. 9-pg., 2025-03-01. (23/12726-8)