Antioxidant ultrafine fibers developed with microalga compounds using a free surface electrospinning

Free surface electrospinning is a method for high throughput production of nonwovens using electrostatic charge. The Spirulina microalga is known for its high protein content and it presents in its biomass antioxidants of commercial importance such as phycocyanin. The objective of this study was to develop antioxidant ultrafine fibers based on protein concentrate from Spirulina sp. LEB 18/poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and phycocyanin, using a free surface electrospinning method. Uniform ultrafine fibers of protein concentrate of Spirulina sp. LEB 18 containing 2% (w w(-1)) of phycocyanin were developed with diameters of 269, 314 and 542 nm, at 5, 7.5 and 10% (w w(-1)) protein concentrations, respectively. The electrospun fibers increased the thermal stability of phycocyanin. Overall, the Spirulina sp. LEB 18/PEO electrospun fibers loaded with phycocyanin showed antioxidant properties. Thus, microalgal biocompounds such as phycocyanin are innovative alternatives for the development of bioactive ultrafine fibers for potential application in food preservation.