METHOD FOR EXTRACTING WATER-SOLUBLE COMPOUNDS FROM MICROALGAE AND/OR CYANOBACTERIA

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of upgrading biomass, in particular algal biomass, and more specifically the present invention relates to a method for extracting water-soluble compounds from microalgae and/or cyanobacteria, as well as the product obtained by this method and the uses of same, in particular in the food industry or as food supplements.

Claims

1.-12. (canceled)

13. A method for obtaining water-soluble compounds from eukaryotic or prokaryotic (cyanobacteria) microalgae, said method comprising at least one step of extracting said water-soluble compounds by an ultrasound treatment with application of an ultrasonic power (Pus) comprised between 10 and 1000 W/L applied to the microalgae or to the cyanobacteria mixed with an aqueous solution, to which is applied, concurrently, a pressure (P) of between 1 and 2 bars, a temperature (T) of between 5 and 70° C., and a flow (D) of between 1 and 1000 L/hour.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the ultrasonic power, the pressure, the temperature and the flow are modulated to make the water-soluble compounds extracted from said eukaryotic microalgae or the cyanobacteria vary.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the duration of the step is between 30 seconds and 90 minutes.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the ultrasonic power, the pressure, the temperature and the flow are modulated to make the colour of the extract obtained by said method vary.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein the steps are applied to the eukaryotic microalgae or cyanobacteria and aqueous solution mixture continuously, preferably using a pump ensuring the circulation of the mixture in a closed or open circuit.

18. The method according to claim 13, wherein the extracted water-soluble compounds are selected from among proteins and peptides, water-soluble vitamins, preferably vitamins of the group B, minerals, preferably sodium, calcium, potassium, magnesium and iron, C-phycocyanin, and chlorophyll.

19. The method according to claim 13, wherein the eukaryotic microalgae are selected from among Chlorella, Nannocloropsis, Dunaliella and Euglena, and that the cyanobacteria are selected from among spirulina (Arthrospira platensis or Spirulina maxima) and AFA (Aphanizomenon Floesaquae).

20. The method according to claim 13, wherein it comprises an additional solid-liquid separation step, preferably by centrifugation, of the extract obtained.

21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising an additional step of filtering the liquid portion obtained by separation from the extract.

22. Method according to claim 13, wherein the microalgae or cyanobacteria/aqueous solution ratio is between 1/5 and 1/50.

23. Products such as obtained by the method according to claim 13, containing water-soluble compounds present in the microalgae or cyanobacteria, separated from the liposoluble fraction of the microalgae or of the cyanobacteria.

24. Use of products according to claim 23 in chemical, food, cosmetic or pharmaceutical compositions.

25. The Method according to claim 14, wherein the duration of the step is between 30 seconds and 90 minutes.

26. The method according to claim 14, wherein the ultrasonic power, the pressure, the temperature and the flow are modulated to make the colour of the extract obtained by said method vary.

27. The method according to claim 15, wherein the ultrasonic power, the pressure, the temperature and the flow are modulated to make the colour of the extract obtained by said method vary.

28. The method according to claim 14, wherein the steps are applied to the eukaryotic microalgae or cyanobacteria and aqueous solution mixture continuously, preferably using a pump ensuring the circulation of the mixture in a closed or open circuit.

29. The method according to claim 15, wherein the steps are applied to the eukaryotic microalgae or cyanobacteria and aqueous solution mixture continuously, preferably using a pump ensuring the circulation of the mixture in a closed or open circuit.

30. The method according to claim 16, wherein the steps are applied to the eukaryotic microalgae or cyanobacteria and aqueous solution mixture continuously, preferably using a pump ensuring the circulation of the mixture in a closed or open circuit.

31. The method according to claim 14, wherein the extracted water-soluble compounds are selected from among proteins and peptides, water-soluble vitamins, preferably vitamins of the group B, minerals, preferably sodium, calcium, potassium, magnesium and iron, C-phycocyanin, and chlorophyll.

32. The method according to claim 15, wherein the extracted water-soluble compounds are selected from among proteins and peptides, water-soluble vitamins, preferably vitamins of the group B, minerals, preferably sodium, calcium, potassium, magnesium and iron, C-phycocyanin, and chlorophyll.

Description

EXAMPLES

Example 1: US Low Power, without Pressure->Blue Extract

[0049] The biomass (Arthrospira platensis) is mixed with an aqueous solution of extraction (phosphate buffer pH 7) according to the ratio 1/20; that is 1 g of biomass for 20 g of aqueous solution. In this case, 4 g of spirulina is introduced into 80 mL of aqueous solution. The mixture is subjected to low ultrasonic power ultrasounds (30 W) for 10 minutes, with a thermoregulation at 20° C. No pressure is imposed on the system. The extracts are then centrifugated for 10 minutes at 8000 rpm, then filtered by dead-end filtration on Buchner (porosity 8 μm), in order to remove possible suspended particles.

[0050] The extract obtained is of a blue colour, due to the presence of phycocyanin (8.34 g/100 g Dry Matter (MS)) and contains 33.36 g/100 g MS of proteins.

Example 2: US High Power+Pressure->Green, Protein-Rich Extract

[0051] The biomass (Arthrospira platensis) is mixed with an aqueous solution of extraction (phosphate buffer pH 7) according to the ratio 1/20; that is 1 g of biomass for 20 g of aqueous solution. In this case, 4 g of spirulina is introduced into 80 mL of aqueous solution. The mixture is subjected to ultrasonic power ultrasounds (100 W/L, that is around 80% of amplitude) for 10 minutes, with a thermoregulation at 20° C. and a pressure close to 2 bars. The extracts are then centrifugated for 10 minutes at 8000 rpm, then filtered by dead-end filtration on Buchner (porosity 8 μm), in order to remove possible suspended particles.

[0052] The extract obtained is of an intense green colour, due to the presence of chlorophyll which has been extracted due to the intensity of the method. Phycocyanin is still present in the extract (11.47 g/100 g MS) and the protein content is 46.19%.