Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) have a fundamental role in human metabolism. Here, a study was attempted to develop a commercially feasible technology to enrich eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) present in Isochrysis galbana, Chaetocerous calcitran, Chlorella marina and Tetraselmis gracillus using lipase source Candida cylinderacea. To the wet mass of algae added 4, 8 and 12 U of lipase enzyme concentration and was incubated at 37C for 4, 8, 16 and 24 h of hydrolysis. Control was taken without any added enzyme. The experiment investigated the optimum conditions of lipases as a function of time and enzyme concentrations. The study reveals that the uses of biolipases under standardized condition are useful for commercial production of PUFA in pharmaceutical industries. Practical Application Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) have a fundamental role in human metabolism due to their antibacterial, antiinflammatory and antioxidant properties, and play role in the prevention of cardiac diseases and inhibition of tumor progression. Marine fish oil is the richest source for eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), but the limitations are its high susceptibility toward oxidation and consequent off‐flavors and production of toxic compounds, as well as geographical and seasonal variations in quality and quantity. As marine algae is the primary producer of n‐3 PUFA in the natural environment, replacing fish oil with n‐3 PUFA enriched algae provides an excellent opportunity to develop alternative n‐3 PUFA for nutraceutical and pharmaceutical purposes. Following this background, a study was attempted to develop a commercially feasible technology to enrich Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) present in microalgae.

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Marine algae rich in n-3 PUFA, being a natural and readily available resource, could be an alternative to fish oil derived n-3 PUFA; therefore, it could be of immense potentiality in nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries. This highlights the sustainable benefits of algae and the many potential gains in creating algal bio-factories. In recent years, the use of lipase as biocatalysts had drawn considerable attention. Lipase is an enzyme that hydrolyzes lipids, the ester bonds in triglycerides, to form fatty acids and glycerol. Among the lipases assayed, the enzyme from the yeast Candida cylindracea is of special interest, as these are proved to be a nonspecific catalyst for many (commercially) interesting reactions such as the modification of oils and fats, reactions in organic solvents, and resolution of racemic mixtures. Hence, the enrichment of microalgae using biolipase from the source Candida cylindracea is of particular attention. Lipase action of Candida cylindracea is investigated as a function of time. It is observed that the lipases display a significant preference to saturated fatty acids; however, the resistance to release EPA and DHA was less as the hydrolysis reaction progresses.

Stability studies provide evidence on in what way the quality of a drug or its product varies with time under influence of changing environmental factors such as humidity, temperature and light. Present study is an attempt to study accelerated stability of fish oil incorporated with three medicinal plant extracts, which can be used for preserving it from further oxidation. The results of accelerated shelf life studies of fish oil treated with O. sanctum extracts (2 mg %). It is found that E.coli, Salmonella and P. aeruginosa were absent throughout the storage period of 6 months in the treated sample. Though TPC was found high at initial stage (1250000 cfu/gm.), by 6 months the value was reduced to <05 cfu/gm. Fungus and yeast contents with a high value during 2nd month (1000 cfu/gm) decreased to a value of 110 cfu/gm in 6 months. Rancidity index showed absent in all the days. Contrary to O. sanctum treated fish oil, the total fungus and yeast content which was minimum at the initial period (<10 cfu/mL) increased to a maximum value of 2110 cfu/gm in A. barbadensis and B. diffusa treated samples. Rancidty was absent throughout the storage period in both the treatments. Thus total fungus and yeast content was significantly lowered in O. sanctum treated fish oil when compared with A. barbadensis and B. diffusa treated fish oil.

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