Nutritional value of amaranth seed is mainly caused by lipids with a good ratio between saturated and unsaturated fatty acids and high protein content with the essential amino acids composition better than that in FAO/WHO standard. Furthermore, the lack of gluten fraction makse the amaranth flour suitable for production of the dietetic food used during celiakia healing. Fractionation of amaranth meal into starch, lipids and protein components leads to the products useful in food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. The advantageous property of amaranth starch is small granule size which brings about its suitability, e.g., for production of food thickeners, dusting powders for cosmetics as well as component of nonallergenic aerosols and biodegradable plastics. Usefulness of this starch is also due to low amylose content. Amaranth oil has been reported to contain relatively large amount of squalene which is used as an important ingredient in skin cosmetics and penetrants and can reduce serum cholesterol.
Nutritional properties of Arthrospira have been known for hundred years. It was consumed by the Aztecs and it is still an important food source for the Kanembu tribe in Chad. The biomass of Arthrospira is the source of eight essential and twelve non-essential amino acids, as well as lipids, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins and carotenoids. It has immunomodulative, antioxidant, antiviral and anticancerogenic properties. Arthrospira is also used for heavy metal and inorganic nutrients removal from wastewater. Arthrospira PCC 8005 strain was chosen to be a part of MELISSA system (Micro Ecological Life Support System Alternative), where it will be used to produce oxygen and as food for astronauts.
The paper presents the problem of protein isolation from yeasts cells using alkaline extraction and chemical modification of protein. The influence of these procedures on functional properties, amino acids level, nutritional value and enzyme digestibility is discussed.
JavaScript is turned off in your web browser. Turn it on to take full advantage of this site, then refresh the page.