Assessment of the Nutraceutical Potential of the Biochemical Profile of Dunaliella salina Biomass

Sabrina dos Santos Rocha; Clara Dias da Silva Marins Brandão; Mariah Clara Oliveira Fernandes da Silva; Roseane Santos Oliveira; Tatiana Oliveira do Vale; Fernando Leal Barreiros Moutinho

doi:10.34178/jbth.v9i5.628

Sabrina dos Santos Rocha
Clara Dias da Silva Marins Brandão
Mariah Clara Oliveira Fernandes da Silva
Roseane Santos Oliveira
Tatiana Oliveira do Vale
Fernando Leal Barreiros Moutinho

DOI: https://doi.org/10.34178/jbth.v9i5.628

Keywords: Microalgae, Dunaliella salina, Biochemistry

Abstract

Microalgae are recognized as promising sources of bioactive compounds for human health; however, gaps remain in the characterization and functional application of their biomass in dietary supplements. Dunaliella salina, despite its high biotechnological value, still lacks integrated studies addressing its nutraceutical potential and applicability in food products. Therefore, this study evaluated D. salina biomass as a sustainable food ingredient. The cultivation exhibited a well-defined exponential growth phase (µ = 0.0113 h⁻¹), allowing the identification of an optimal harvesting window (~10 days), which supported the efficient production of nutritionally rich biomass containing high levels of proteins (25.7 ± 0.42%), lipids (18.5 ± 0.06%), carbohydrates (28.5 ± 0.71%), and ash content (26%), along with phenolic compounds (2.16 ± 0.21 mg GAE 100 g⁻¹ DW) associated with antioxidant activity and oxidative stress reduction. These findings highlight the biotechnological potential of D. salina biomass as a sustainable nutraceutical supplement.