pH spurring microalgal cells to subsist onto palm kernel expeller for growing into biodiesel feedstock

Microalgae-Based Disinfectant Formulation for Aseptic Processing of Ethiopian Ingredient-Sourced Functional Bread and Its Molecular Docking Analysis to Reduce Hypernatremia

The global prevalence of food-borne infections has become a major concern. Food-borne pathogens like Campylobacter jejuni, Salmonella enterica, and Clostridium botulinum cause food poisoning and even mortality, necessitating the maintenance of aseptic conditions during food processing. The sterilization of food processing facilities often requires chemical and heat treatment. The formulation of many chemical-based disinfectants includes chemicals generating toxic and carcinogenic by-products. The microalgae like Chlorella spp. reportedly exhibit antimicrobial activity and therefore, can be used for formulating safer and eco-friendly natural sanitizers. This study aims to aseptically prepare functional bread using Ethiopian ingredients, highlighting the application of microalgae-based disinfectant formulation and various disinfection techniques. The functional bread was designed to be potentially effective in reducing hypernatremia condition which is indicative of high levels of sodium in serum that can cause an array of symptoms including deaths in serious cases. The physico-chemical and sensory properties of the designed functional bread were analyzed. The interaction of phytochemicals in the ingredients with the target receptor (Vasopressin V2 receptor) and their drug-likeness were determined using molecular docking and Lipinski's rule of five analyses. The results suggest that the designed functional bread incorporating Ethiopian ingredients may serve as an effective dietary strategy to prevent hypernatremia. Aseptic processing of the bread ensures longer shelf life and prevention of spoilage by food pathogens.

Assessing Microalgal Protein's Impact on Environment and Energy Footprint via Life Cycle Analysis

Conventionally, increasing the yield of microalgal biomass has been the primary focus of research, while the significant protein reserve within this biomass has remained largely unexplored. This protein reserve possesses substantial value and versatility, offering a wide range of prospective applications and presenting an enticing chance for innovation and value enhancement for various sectors. Current study employed an innovative research approach that focused solely on the LCA of protein production potential from microalgal biomass, a lesser-explored aspects within this domain. Most environmental impact categories were shown to be significantly affected by cultivation phase because of the electrical obligation, followed by the harvesting and protein extraction phase. Still, the environmental aspect was seen to yield a minimal impact on global warming potential, i.e., 4 × 10-3 kg CO2, underscoring the ecologically favorable nature of the process. Conversely, the overall energy impact was seen to intensify with NEB of - 39.33 MJ and NER of 0.49, drawing attention to the importance of addressing the energy aspect to harness the full potential of microalgal protein production.