Table 2.

Literature review of encapsulation systems for food applications of the microalga Arthrospira, its extracts, or bioactive compounds.

Core Substance	Coating Material	Encapsulation Technique/System	Application	Major Findings	Reference
Phycocyanin	Alginate Chitosan	Extrusion	Functional food	Thermal stability improvement of phycocyanin during storage when both polymers were used as the coating material. Microparticles were resistant to the acidic environment. Chitosan-coated alginate microparticles promoted a superior sustained release.	[184]
Phycocyanin	Maltodextrin Alginate	Spray dryer	Functional food	Phycocyanin microcapsules with alginate 0.6% and maltodextrin 9.4% showed the highest phycocyanin content, antioxidant activity, encapsulation efficiency, and blue intensity.	[185]
Phycocyanin	Calcium-Alginate	Ultrasonic and extrusion techniques	Functional food	Optimized conditions of C-phycocyanin ultrasonic encapsulation exhibited 98% entrapment efficiency when produced with 3% sodium alginate, 2.5% calcium chloride, and 1 mg/mL of C-phycocyanin concentration.	[186]
A. platensis biomass	Purified soybean phosphatidylcholine	Liposomes	Functional food	Liposomes subjected to homogenization presented a more uniform morphology and higher entrapment efficiency than the sonicated ones, demonstrating a possible strategy for A. platensis- loaded liposomes preparation.	[187]
Phenolic extracts	Rice and soybean lecithin	Liposomes	Functional food and pharmaceutical	Liposomes allowed the protection of phenolic compounds during the digestion gastric step, allowing the bioactive compounds to be released in the small intestine.	[188]
A. platensis powder	Maltodextrin pure or crosslinked with citric acid	Spray dryer	Yoghurt	Microencapsulated A. platensis presented higher thermal stability than its free form, showing better anti-inflammatory activity without exerting cytotoxicity. Yogurts added with encapsulated A. platensis presented a more homogeneous appearance. Microencapsulation was able to maintain the yogurt nutritional profile and improve the antioxidant activity throughout storage time.	[189]
Carotenoid extract	Yellow passion fruit albedo flour	Solvent displacement method	Functional food	The incorporation of the carotenoid extract showed high antioxidant activity, with carotenoids retention six times higher when compared to the nanodispersions containing synthetic β-carotene. The nanodispersions were able to keep the carotenoids’ stability for 60 days under refrigerated storage.	[190]
A. platensis powder	Alginate	Extrusion (internal and external ionic gelation)	Functional food	External gelation beads exhibited a more uniform and homogeneous morphology, as well as higher protein content when compared to internal gelation beads.	[191]
Arthorspira biomass	Calcium-Alginate	Spray dryer	Pasta	Microencapsulation was able to protect the biomass antioxidant potential in 37.8% from the pasta cooking conditions. The pasta properties were affected, but the overall acceptability index was not influenced by the addition of the microspheres.	[192]
A. platensis aqueous extract	Calcium-Alginate	Vibrational extrusion	3D printed cookies	Improvement of the antioxidant activity and colour stability of 3D printed cookies after processing and storage.	[136]
A. platensis extract	Pure trehalose or with maltodextrin	Freeze- and spray-drying Ball milling	Functional food	Freeze-dried samples, regardless of the matrix composition, exhibited the highest carrying capacity. The use of ball co-milling caused a complete degradation of the core compound during the applied processing. Delivery systems containing maltodextrin were more effective in preventing thermal degradation and preserving its colouring ability.	[193]
Phycocyanin	Polyvinyl alcohol	Electrospray	Functional food	Ultra-fine particles showed thermal resistance up to 216 °C, preserving phycocyanin antioxidant activity.	[194]
Phycocyanin	Glycerol monostearate and distearate Medium-chain triglyceride	Ultrasound-assisted high-shear homogenization	Functional food	Results showed that the type and amount of lipid and surfactant had a significant effect on the properties of the particle. Formulations prepared with glycerol distearate had the highest stability in terms of deposition and suspended particles.	[195]
Phycocyanin	Maltodextrin Κ- carrageenan	Spray dryer	Functional food	Results indicated that phycocyanin microparticles with 9% maltodextrin and 1% κ-carrageenan as coating materials produced the highest bulk density, particle size, and encapsulation efficiency.	[196]