Bacillus amyloliquefaciens MU2 fermentation enhances protein extraction and sensory quality of Chlorella pyrenoidosa
摘要
The global demand for sustainable, nutritious protein sources necessitates innovative production strategies. Chlorella pyrenoidosa exhibits potential as a protein source; however, conventional extraction methods are limited in terms of protein extraction efficiency and product sensory attributes and quality. Microbial fermentation may address these challenges by improving protein extraction efficiency, antioxidant-related properties, sensory properties, and facilitating the production of improved microalgal protein materials. We developed a method for producing protein-rich materials through fermentation of C. pyrenoidosa with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens MU2 and optimized the fermentation conditions. Under the optimized conditions (26.6 h, 33.8 °C, and 2.7% inoculum), the predicted protein extraction efficiency was 42.8%, and the actual value was 42.90%. Fermentation enhanced the nutritional and functional qualities of Chlorella proteins and effectively mitigated undesirable flavors. In particular, crude protein content increased from 58.47 ± 0.27% to 78.10 ± 0.20%, while DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities increased from 5.01 ± 0.13% to 39.38 ± 0.37% and from 3.10 ± 0.10% to 47.89 ± 0.06%, respectively. Semi-pilot experiments demonstrated similar improvement trends, supporting the feasibility of the proposed process. These results suggest that fermentation with B. amyloliquefaciens MU2 is a promising strategy for improving the extraction efficiency and quality of C. pyrenoidosa-derived protein materials.