Meeting Sustainable Development Goals: Alternative Extraction Processes for Fucoxanthin in Algae

Abstract

The ever-expanding human population puts tremendous pressure on global food security. With climate change threats lowering crop productivity and food nutritional quality, it is important to search for alternative and sustainable food sources. Microalgae are a promising carbon-neutral biomass with fast growth rate and do not compete with terrestrial crops for land use. More so, microalgae synthesize exclusive marine carotenoids shown to not only exert antioxidant activities but also anti-cancer properties. Unfortunately, the conventional method for fucoxanthin extraction is mainly based on solvent extraction, which is cheap but less environmentally friendly. With the emergence of greener extraction techniques, the extraction of fucoxanthin could adopt these strategies aligned to UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This is a timely review with a focus on existing fucoxanthin extraction processes, complemented with future outlook on the potential and limitations in alternative fucoxanthin extraction technologies. This review will serve as an important guide to the sustainable and environmentally friendly extraction of fucoxanthin and other carotenoids including but not limited to astaxanthin, lutein or zeaxanthin. This is aligned to the SDGs wherein it is envisaged that this review becomes an antecedent to further research work in extract standardization with the goal of meeting quality control and quality assurance benchmarks for future commercialization purposes.

Characterization and Cytotoxic Activity of Microwave-Assisted Extracted Crude Fucoidans from Different Brown Seaweeds

“…The results of MAE experiments showed improved yields, cost-effectiveness, less use of solvents, and energy and time saving benefits, compared with the classical solvent extraction method. Hence, these benefits are in agreement with and help achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) [ 40 ].…”

Brown Algae as Functional Food Source of Fucoxanthin: A Review

“…[ 30 ]. From the methodological aspect, factors such as drying and extraction methods have been stated to significantly affect the fucoxanthin amount obtained from seaweed [ 30 , 31 ].…”

Ultrasound‐assisted extraction of fucoxanthin from Sargassum angustifolium and Cystoseira indica brown algae

“…Fucoxanthin is a major carotenoid of edible brown seaweeds and is characterized by its unique structure, including an allenic bond and 5,6‐monoepoxide and contributes more than 10% of the estimated total production of carotenoids in nature (Kim, Kang, et al., 2012). This xanthophyll is abundant in edible brown algae such as Undaria , Eisenia , Sargassum , and Laminaria (Kim, Kang, et al, 2012) and microalgae such as Bacillariophyceae (e.g., Odontella aurita , Chaetoceros sp., Phaeodactylum tricornutum , Cylindrotheca closterium ), Prymnesiophyceae (e.g., Isochrysis galbana , Pavlova lutheri ), Chrysophycea (e.g., Pelagococcus subviridis ), Raphidophyceae (e.g., Psammamonas australis ), and Dinophyceae (e.g., Kryptoperidinium foliaceum ) (Foo et al., 2021). There are several studies showing the potential of fucoxanthin to improve the nutritional quality of food, with immune‐boosting and health benefits (Foo et al., 2021).…”

“…This xanthophyll is abundant in edible brown algae such as Undaria , Eisenia , Sargassum , and Laminaria (Kim, Kang, et al, 2012) and microalgae such as Bacillariophyceae (e.g., Odontella aurita , Chaetoceros sp., Phaeodactylum tricornutum , Cylindrotheca closterium ), Prymnesiophyceae (e.g., Isochrysis galbana , Pavlova lutheri ), Chrysophycea (e.g., Pelagococcus subviridis ), Raphidophyceae (e.g., Psammamonas australis ), and Dinophyceae (e.g., Kryptoperidinium foliaceum ) (Foo et al., 2021). There are several studies showing the potential of fucoxanthin to improve the nutritional quality of food, with immune‐boosting and health benefits (Foo et al., 2021). Thus, fucoxanthin has attracted much attention because of its therapeutic activities such as anti‐cancer activity, antioxidant activity, hepato‐protective, skin‐protective, antiangiogenic, cerebrovascular, bone‐protective, ocular‐protective, cardiovascular‐protective, anti‐inflammatory, antimalarial properties, anti‐diabetic, and anti‐obesity effects (Oliyaei et al., 2020).…”

“…Cylindrotheca closterium), Prymnesiophyceae (e.g., Isochrysis galbana, Pavlova lutheri), Chrysophycea (e.g., Pelagococcus subviridis), Raphidophyceae (e.g., Psammamonas australis), and Dinophyceae (e.g., Kryptoperidinium foliaceum) (Foo et al, 2021). There are several studies showing the potential of fucoxanthin to improve the nutritional quality of food, with immune-boosting and health benefits (Foo et al, 2021).…”