Valorization of Gelidium corneum Industrial Residue as a Source of Antioxidant and Antifungal Agents
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48048/tis.2026.11707Keywords:
G. corneum alga, By-products, Antioxidant, Antifungal, Phytopigment, Total phenolic content, Total flavonoid contentAbstract
The industrial agar extraction of the red alga Gelidium corneum generates substantial residue, a biomass with considerable potential for valorization into a sustainable bioproduct. This investigation aimed to characterize the phytochemical composition and bioactivities of extracts from the residue in comparison to the whole alga. For this purpose, extracts were prepared from both the residue and whole alga using various solvents. The antioxidant capacity of the extracts was then evaluated using DPPH, ABTS, and total antioxidant capacity assays. Additionally, their antifungal activity was tested against 4 storage fungi (Fusarium graminearum, Fusarium oxysporum, Aspergillus flavus and Penicillium chrysogenum), with efficacy compared to the commercial fungicide Azoxystrobin. Our analysis revealed that the 90% methanolic extracts were particularly effective, as they were rich in total phenolic compounds (TPC: 13 mg GAEs/g in residue and 14.9 mg GAEs/g in whole alga), total flavonoid content (TFC: 5.90 mg QEs/g in residue and 7.07 mg QEs/g in whole alga), and condensed tannins (CTC: 2.90 mg CEs/g in residue and 5.92 mg CEs/g in whole alga). These extracts exhibited potent antioxidant activity and their notable antifungal activity was comparable to Azoxystrobin. The observed bioactivities were consistently correlated with the high phenolic content. These findings suggest that G. corneum industrial residue is a promising and sustainable source of natural antioxidant and antifungal agents for applications in food preservation and related industries.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Agar extraction residue from corneum offers significant potential for valorization as a sustainable bioproduct.
- corneum residue is a rich natural source of valuable bioactive compounds.
- Its phytochemical profile, including phenolic compounds, is comparable to that of the whole alga.
- Both the whole alga and its residue exhibit potent antioxidant and antifungal properties, especially in methanolic extracts.
- The observed bioactivities are strongly correlated with the high content of phenolic compounds.
GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
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