Chemical and Antioxidant Analysis of Spirulinaplatensis Products Available in Some Local Market

Abstract

A comparative study was conducted to evaluate quality of Spirulinaplatensis products like powder and tablets that were manufactured by different companies in Bangladesh. The powder form was collected from Bangladesh Spirulina Company Ltd. and was named as SP-1. On the other hand, the tablets were collected from Eureka International, Life Line International and Evergreen Enterprise’s and were as named as SP-2, SP-3 and SP-4, respectively. The parameters investigated in this study were moisture content, ash content, acid insoluble and acid soluble ash content, crude fat content, nitrogen and protein content. Additionally, the amount of different solvent extracts, phytochemical screening, determination of total phenolic and flavonoids contents and antioxidant activity (DPPH radical scavenging activity), reducing power assay and total antioxidant activity and elemental analysis were also investigated. DPPH radical scavenging activity, reducing power assay and total antioxidant activity of all samples extract of four varieties showed significant/good/moderate activity, especially methanol and water extracts showed significant activity. All the four varieties of Spirulinaplatensis possessed good reducing power. Results of elemental analysis of four verities of Spirulinaplatensis showed significant difference. Analysis of mineral composition revealed the presence of sufficient amount of minerals such as sodium, potassium, iron and zinc. High levels of potassium were observed in all the samples. Heavy metals were also analyzed like lead, copper, chromium etc. Some of the samples were found to have contained lead in significant amounts. The reducing powers of the methanol and water extracts of four different samples (Spirulinaplatensis) were found to be significant in comparison with the standard ascorbic acid. The total antioxidant capacities of the methanol and water extracts of four different samples (Spirulinaplatensis) were found to be moderately significant in comparison with the standard ascorbic acid. From the result of this study, it is observed that different samples of Spirulinaplatensis contained different amount of physicochemical, chemical and antioxidant properties. However, among of the four products, SP-3 was found to have the best quality.