In vivo EVALUATION OF Spirulina platensis FOR NUTRIENT  BIOAVAILABILITY IN MICE

Feven Tezera Damessa; Musa Chacha; John-Mary Vianney; Jofrey Raymond

doi:10.48165/

Authors

Feven Tezera Damessa Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences,Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, Arusha 23100 (Tanzania)
Musa Chacha epartment of Sustainable Agriculture and Biodiversity,Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, Arusha 23100 (Tanzania)
John-Mary Vianney Department of Health and Biomedical Science, Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, Arusha 23100 (Tanzania)
Jofrey Raymond Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences,Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, Arusha 23100 (Tanzania)

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.48165/

Keywords:

Nutrient absorption, mice, Spirulina platensis

Abstract

Spirulina, a photosynthetic blue-green alga (cyanobacterium), has drawn attention as a viable food supplement due to its suitable nutrient content. Despite its suitable nutrient composition, the bioavailability of nutrients Present in Spirulina is not well reported. In this study, the bioavailability of nutrients present in locally cultivated Spirulina platensis was evaluated by using in vivo method. A total of 54 mice, 5-8 weeks age were used. The mice were randomly divided into three groups. Group 1 (n = 18) served as a control and received a basal diet. Group 2 (n = 20) served as a test and received Spirulina blended with a basal diet. Group 3 (n = 16) serves as a standard and received a basal diet supplemented with nutritional supplements. The study revealed that test diet had apparent absorption of protein 67%, calcium 50.6%, iron 43.8%, zinc 42%, and vitamin A 56.5%, which was higher (p < 0.01) than control diet but similar (p > 0.05) with standard diet. Given the higher bioavailability of nutritional supplements mixed into the standard diet, the resemblance in nutrient absorption between test and standard diets illustrated that Spirulina mixed into the test diet also has higher nutrient absorption.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Bouis, H.E. and Saltzman, A. 2017. Improving nutrition through biofortification: A review of evidence from HarvestPlus, 2003 through 2016. Global Food Security, 12: 49-58. Dixit, A. 2018. Effect of “Spirulina” on children aged 8-12 years. BAOJ Nutrition, 4: 1-14. Ekantari, N., Harmayani, E., Pranoto, Y. and Marsono, Y. 2016. Calcium of Spirulina platensis has higher bioavailability than those of calcium carbonate and high-calcium milk in Sprague Dawley rats fed with vitamin D-deficient diet. Pakistan Journal of Nutrition, 16: 179-186. Guansheng, M.A., Ying, J., Jianhua, P., Frans, K., Bonnema, G. and Evert, J. 2005. Phytate, calcium, iron, and zinc contents and their molar ratios in foods commonly consumed in China. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 53: 10285-10290.

Habib, M.A.B., Parvin, H., Huntington, T.C. and Hasan, M.R. 2008. FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department - A review on culture, production and use of Spirulina as food for humans and feeds for domestic animals. pp. 1-32. In: FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture, Volume 1034 (Circular No. 1034, Issue 1034). Food & Agriculture Organization of United Nations, FAO Electronic Publishing Policy and Support Branch, Communication Division, Rome, Italy.

Jafari, S.M. and Mcclements, D.J. 2017. Nanotechnology approaches for increasing nutrient bioavailability. pp. 2-10. In: Advances in Food and Nutrition Research, Volume 81 (1st edn.). Elsevier Inc, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Madhubalaji, C.K., Rashmi, V., Chauhan, V.S., Shylaja, M.D. and Sarada, R. 2019. Improvement of vitamin B12 status with Spirulina supplementation in Wistar rats validated through functional and circulatory markers. Journal of Food Biochemistry, 2019: 1-10.

Feven Tezera Damessa et al.

[https://doi.org/10.1111/jfbc.13038].

Mæhre, H.K., Dalheim, L., Edvinsen, G.K., Elvevoll, E.O. and Jensen, I. 2018. Protein determination - Method matters. Foods, 7: 1-4.

Matondo, F.K., Takaisi, K., Nkuadiolandu, A.B., Lukusa, A.K. and Aloni, M.N. 2016. Spirulina supplements improved the nutritional status of undernourished children quickly and significantly: Experience from Kisantu, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. International Journal of Pediatrics, 2016: 1-4. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/1296414].

Norhaizan, M.E. and Faizadatul, N. 2009. Determination of phytate, iron, zinc, calcium contents and their molar ratios in commonly consumed raw and prepared food in Malaysia. Malaysia Journal of Nutrition, 15: 213-222.

Nguyen, P., Grajeda, R., Melgar, P., Marcinkevage, J., Flores, R., Ramakrishnan, U. and Martorell, R. 2012. Effect of zinc on efficacy of iron supplementation in improving iron and zinc status in women. Journal ofNutrition and Metabolism, 2012: 1-8 [https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/216179].

Niang, K., Ndiaye, P., Faye, A., Augustin, J., Tine, D., Diongue, F.B., Camara, M.D., Leye, M.M. and Tal-Dia, A. 2017. Spirulina supplementation in pregnant women in the Dakar region (Senegal). Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 7: 147-154.

Nouri, E. and Abbasi, H. 2018. Effects of different processing methods on phytochemical compounds and antioxidant activity of Spirulina platensis. Applied Food Biotechnology, 5: 221-232. Rasolofoson, R.A., Hanauer, M.M. and Pappinen, A. 2018. Impacts of forests on children’s diet in rural areas across 27 developing countries. Science Advances, 4: 1-10.

Saha, S.K. and Murray, P. 2018. Exploitation of microalgae species for nutraceutical purposes: Cultivation aspects. Fermentation, 2018: 1-17 [https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation4020046]. Sami, R., Li, Y., Qi, B., Wang, S., Zhang, Q., Han, F., Ma, Y., Jing, J. and Jiang, L. 2014. HPLC analysis of water-soluble vitamins (B2, B3, B6, B12 and C) and fat-soluble vitamins (E, K, D, A, and ��-carotene) of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus). Journal of Chemistry, 2014: 1-7. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/831357].

Steponënienë, L. and Tautkus, S. 2006. Determination of zinc in plants and grains by atomic absorption spectrometry. Chemija (Vilnius), 3: 3-6.

Templeton, D.W. and Laurens, L.M.L. 2015. Nitrogen-to-protein conversion factors revisited for applications of microalgal biomass conversion to food, feed and fuel. Algal Research, 11: 359- 367.

Yu, W., Wen, G., Lin, H., Yang, Y., Huang, X., Zhou, C., Zhang, Z., Duan, Y., Huang, Z., and Li, T. 2018. Fish and shell fish immunology: Effects of dietary Spirulina platensis on growth performance, hematological and serum biochemical parameters, hepatic antioxidant status, immune responses and disease resistance of Coral trout Plectropomus leopardus. Fish and Shellfish Immunology, 74: 649-655.