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![Figure 10.4 Microalgae as a source of polyunsaturated fatty acids [21].](profile/Amit-Sharma-41/publication/342269288/figure/fig4/AS:1075907703898114@1633527794255/Microalgae-as-a-source-of-polyunsaturated-fatty-acids-21_Q320.jpg)
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are essential for human beings to maintain bio functions that would prevent diseases such as depression, neurological diseases, inflammation, autoimmune diseases and cardiovascular disease. Human beings are unable to synthesize essential PUFAs in the body and therefore, they are taken up from different food sourc...
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... The basic principle is the separation of the homogenate in different phases, which can be isolated. Specifically, an organic solvent penetrates through the cell membrane and interacts with the lipids forming solvent-lipids complexes, which diffuse across the cell membrane and across the static organic solvent into the bulk organic solvent [273]. In this context, the solvent composition is a key factor influencing solvent extraction. ...
... Many PUFAs are widely applied in the health and pharmaceutical fields, so they need high purity levels, which can be reached through purification and/or enrichment techniques. Depending upon carbon chain length and degree of unsaturation, different methods are applied to enrich and purify of PUFAs [273]. They include winterization, molecular distillation, enzymatic purification, low-temperature crystallization, purification by urea inclusion, chromatographic separation, and supercritical fluid fractioning [264]. ...
Microalgae have a great potential for the production of healthy food and feed supplements. Their ability to convert carbon into high-value compounds and to be cultured in large scale without interfering with crop cultivation makes these photosynthetic microorganisms promising for the sustainable production of lipids. In particular, microalgae represent an alternative source of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), whose consumption is related to various health benefits for humans and animals. In recent years, several strategies to improve PUFAs’ production in microalgae have been investigated. Such strategies include selecting the best performing species and strains and the optimization of culturing conditions, with special emphasis on the different cultivation systems and the effect of different abiotic factors on PUFAs’ accumulation in microalgae. Moreover, developments and results obtained through the most modern genetic and metabolic engineering techniques are described, focusing on the strategies that lead to an increased lipid production or an altered PUFAs’ profile. Additionally, we provide an overview of biotechnological applications of PUFAs derived from microalgae as safe and sustainable organisms, such as aquafeed and food ingredients, and of the main techniques (and their related issues) for PUFAs’ extraction and purification from microalgal biomass.
