Sophie Jensen

The kelps Alaria esculenta and Saccharina latissima are promising food ingredients as a potential source of nutrients and flavours, particularly in the context of a shift towards more plant-based diets. This study investigated the effects of commercially relevant processing steps on the sensory profile of the kelps and the concentrations of flavour-active compounds, including free amino acids (FAAs), minerals, mannitol and volatile compounds. The tested processes included pre-treatments such as pulsed electric field (PEF) and warm seawater (W-SW) exposure at low temperature (50 °C), aimed at reducing the kelps’ iodine levels, as well as fermentation as a low-input stabilisation method. For each kelp species, differences in sensory profiles between treatment groups were relatively minor and mainly reflected variations in saltiness and umami. Free amino acids (FAAs), minerals, mannitol and volatile compounds were measured to identify key flavour-contributing compounds, with a specific focus on umami, which is considered as the main flavour of interest in kelps. Partial least square regressions (PLSRs) revealed weak correlations between perceived umami flavour and free glutamate levels, while other FAAs (alanine, tryptophan, arginine and glycine) were identified as potential contributors to umami. In addition, several volatile compounds, including 2,3-butanedione, 3,5-octadien-2-one, 1-penten-3-ol, 2-hexenal and 2,4-heptadienal, showed strong correlation and were also identified as potential umami contributors. Among the tested combinations of kelp species and processing methods, W-SW treated A. esculenta yielded the most umami-potent food ingredient while maintaining safe iodine levels, making it the most promising candidate for large-scale food applications.

Seaweed is a great source of biologically active metabolites which could prove interesting in cosmeceutical applications. In this study, seven Icelandic seaweed species (Ascophyllum nodosum, Alaria esculenta, Laminaria hyperborea, Laminaria digitata, Saccharina latissima, Palmaria palmata, and Schizymenia jonssonii) were screened for total polyphenol content, antioxidant properties, and inhibition of skin-degrading enzymes. Antioxidant assays included DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), reducing power, and ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity). In most assays, A. nodosum extracts were the most active. A. nodosum extracts also showed the strongest inhibition of the skin-degrading enzymes elastase and collagenase at low concentrations, demonstrating its skin-protective qualities. To further investigate the activity, A. nodosum was subsequently extracted with solvents with increasing polarity into seven different extracts. Compared to other extracts, the extracts obtained by extraction with acetone and methanol showed the highest activity in all assays. Extracts obtained with room-temperature water and 85 °C water also demonstrated moderate to high activities. The outcomes of this study support the potential utilization of the brown seaweed A. nodosum as a source of natural ingredients in cosmeceuticals.

This paper examines a number of specific, practical recommendations to advance knowledge and move towards evidence-based solutions to microplastic (MP) pollution in the Nordic marine environment. The paper approaches the subject of MPs holistically, emphasises the knowledge gaps and challenges in answering pressing questions, discusses the limitations that so far have prevented these questions from being solved, and suggests approaches for answering them. The Nordic context is chosen due to the global importance of its ecosystem that is threatened by MP pollution, exacerbated by climate change. The research questions discussed pick up knowledge gaps identified in attempts to answer the most pressing questions of our time regarding marine MP pollution and are applicable to some or all seas of the Nordic region, from the Baltic and North Seas in the south to the Arctic in the north.The research questions relate to sources, sinks and transport of MPs, and how food webs are potentially impacted in Nordic marine environments. In addition, we point out the relevance for stakeholders expected to use the emerging knowledge. Through this exercise, using concrete examples, we aim to invite discussions on how a concerted effort by the Nordic countries can bring MP research to a higher level of understanding needed to address the MP pollution problem in Nordic marine habitats.

An array of infections, including the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), trigger macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) and subsequentlyhypercytokinemia, commonly referred to as a cytokine storm (CS). It is postulated that CS is mainly responsible for critical COVID-19 cases, including acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Recognizing the therapeutic potential of Spirulina blue-green algae (Arthrospira platensis), in this in vitro stimulation study, LPS-activated macrophages and monocytes were treated with aqueous extracts of Spirulina, cultivated in either natural or controlled light conditions. We report that an extract of photosynthetically controlled Spirulina (LED Spirulina), at a concentration of 0.1 µg/mL, decreases macrophage and monocyte-induced TNF-α secretion levels by over 70% and 40%, respectively. We propose prompt in vivo studies in animal models and human subjects to determine the putative effectiveness of a natural, algae-based treatment for viral CS and ARDS, and explore the potential of a novel anti-TNF-α therapy.Graphical abstract

The furan fatty acid (F-fatty acid) content was determined in different marine sources as well as in commercially available marine oil products that claim to be health promoting. The five F-fatty acids typically representing the majority of F-fatty acids in fish, 9M5 (9-(3-methyl-5-pentylfuran-2-yl)-nonanoic acid), 9D5 (9-(3-dimethyl-5-pentylfuran-2-yl)-nonanoic acid), 11D3 (11-(3,4-Dimethyl-5-propylfuran-2-yl)-undecanoic acid), 11D5 (11-(3,4-Dimethyl-5-pentylfuran-2-yl)-undecanoic acid), and 11M5 (11-(3-Methyl-5-pentylfuran-2-yl)-undecanoic acid) were measured as methyl esters using a gas chromatograph linked with a tandem mass spectrometer (GC/MS-MS). The results showed a significant difference in F-fatty acid levels between the different marine oil products analyzed, depending on the source of raw material. Of the 11 different Icelandic marine catches analyzed, the highest total amount of F-fatty acids was found in the farmed fish.