Fermentation Processes for Obtaining Marine Bioactive Products

A special issue of Marine Drugs (ISSN 1660-3397). This special issue belongs to the section "Marine Biotechnology Related to Drug Discovery or Production".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2025 | Viewed by 3027

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Jeju Bio Research Center, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST), 2670 Iljudong-ro, Gujwa-eup, Jeju-si 63349, Republic of Korea
Interests: algae; fermentation; adaptive evolution; genetic engineering

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue will focus on the latest research in the development of technologies used to investigate various aspects of the impact of the production of fermented bioactive products from marine biomass. Bioactive metabolites produced by microorganisms exhibit various biological activities, such as antimicrobial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities. Recently, fermented products have been considered a promising alternative to meet the increasing consumer demand for healthy food.

This Special Issue includes not just innovative and varied approaches to boost the efficiency of emerging fermentation products but also features articles detailing recent findings and uses in characterizing newfound compounds. Our aim is to create a platform where experts worldwide can exchange research and perspectives on different facets of the bioactive metabolites attainable through fermentation, fostering more discussions and enhancing our understanding of the subject.

We welcome research articles, review articles, and short communications.

Dr. In Yung Sunwoo
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • marine biomass
  • microorganism
  • fermentation
  • marine bioactive compounds
  • application

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

30 pages, 4398 KiB  
Article
Lactic Acid Bacteria and Yeast Fermentation to Improve the Nutritional Value of Ulva rigida
by Marta Brandão, Diogo J. Marques, Sofia Sousa, Marília Mateus, Helena M. Pinheiro, M. Manuela R. da Fonseca, Carla Pires, Maria Leonor Nunes, António Marques and M. Teresa Cesário
Mar. Drugs 2025, 23(3), 106; https://doi.org/10.3390/md23030106 - 28 Feb 2025
Viewed by 859
Abstract
Aquaculture reliance on fishmeal protein has become a bottleneck due to long-term sustainability concerns and increasing costs. Given its abundance and nutrient-rich profile, the green macroalga Ulva rigida is a promising alternative protein source. However, the bioaccessibility of its proteins is hindered by [...] Read more.
Aquaculture reliance on fishmeal protein has become a bottleneck due to long-term sustainability concerns and increasing costs. Given its abundance and nutrient-rich profile, the green macroalga Ulva rigida is a promising alternative protein source. However, the bioaccessibility of its proteins is hindered by an embedding matrix of ulvan, a gel-forming polysaccharide. Saccharification of the alga crude fiber followed by microbial fermentation improves protein bioaccessibility and leads to products of higher protein content and quality. Also, upon fermentation, the nutritional and bioactive properties of these feed ingredients are enhanced, since microorganisms synthesize vitamins, new proteins, and essential amino acids. The carbohydrate fraction of Ulva rigida was hydrolyzed into a sugar-rich syrup and subsequently used as a substrate in microbial fermentations. Three types of fermentation were tested, namely, with a consortium of four lactic acid bacteria (LAB), with Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and with a co-culture of lactobacilli and yeast. A functional analysis of lyophilized whole-fermentation broths revealed that the yeast-fermented products had stronger antioxidant properties when compared to the LAB-fermented products. The protein bioaccessibility in the fermented products was 11- to 12-fold higher than that of the raw alga. These findings highlight the potential of utilizing S. cerevisiae and lactobacilli starter cultures in seaweed fermentation to produce Ulva-based feed ingredients. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fermentation Processes for Obtaining Marine Bioactive Products)
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13 pages, 3643 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Antioxidant Activity of Residue from Bioethanol Production Using Seaweed Biomass
by In-Yung Sunwoo, Hyunjin Cho, Taeho Kim, Eun-Jeong Koh and Gwi-Taek Jeong
Mar. Drugs 2024, 22(8), 340; https://doi.org/10.3390/md22080340 - 26 Jul 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1709
Abstract
This study explores the potential of producing bioethanol from seaweed biomass and reusing the residues as antioxidant compounds. Various types of seaweed, including red (Gelidium amansii, Gloiopeltis furcata, Pyropia tenera), brown (Saccharina japonica, Undaria pinnatifida, Ascophyllum [...] Read more.
This study explores the potential of producing bioethanol from seaweed biomass and reusing the residues as antioxidant compounds. Various types of seaweed, including red (Gelidium amansii, Gloiopeltis furcata, Pyropia tenera), brown (Saccharina japonica, Undaria pinnatifida, Ascophyllum nodosum), and green species (Ulva intestinalis, Ulva prolifera, Codium fragile), were pretreated with dilute acid and enzymes and subsequently processed to produce bioethanol with Saccharomyces cerevisiae BY4741. Ethanol production followed the utilization of sugars, resulting in the highest yields from red algae > brown algae > green algae due to their high carbohydrate content. The residual biomass was extracted with water, ethanol, or methanol to evaluate its antioxidant activity. Among the nine seaweeds, the A. nodosum bioethanol residue extract (BRE) showed the highest antioxidant activity regarding the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) activity, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and reactive oxygen species (ROS) inhibition of H2O2-treated RAW 264.7 cells. These by-products can be valorized, contributing to a more sustainable and economically viable biorefinery process. This dual approach not only enhances the utilization of marine resources but also supports the development of high-value bioproducts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fermentation Processes for Obtaining Marine Bioactive Products)
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