Arthrospira platensis, also known as spirulina, is a cyanobacteria which contains many bioactive compounds, such as phenolic compounds, minerals (mainly Fe and Ca), vitamins (A, E, K, B2, B6, B8 and B12), carotenoids and phycobiliproteins (phycocyanin). Since lactic acid fermentation (LAF) is known to have a positive impact on food quality and functionality, we fermented fresh spirulina biomass inoculated with lactic acid bacteria Lactobacillus plantarum. The results of LAF show a drop in pH, increase in bacterial colonies count and higher concentration of lactic acid. Apart from lactic acid concentration where values were increasing for the whole period of LAF other results show no noticeable differences in values between 24 and 72 h of fermentation. To determine antioxidant capacity (AOC), extracts were prepared using water and ethanol as extraction solvents. In both, in vitro and in vivo assays, AOC in aqueous extracts of fermented samples was lower than in extracts of unfermented samples, whereas AOC in ethanol extracts increased during the fermentation.
COBISS.SI-ID: 5071224