Valorisation de coproduits de la transformation d’algues brunes comme prébiotiques

In the recent years, there has been a growing interest in bioactive compounds in algae. InnoVactiv Inc. recently introduced into the market a brown algae extract, the InSea2. This nutraceutical product, rich in polyphenols, facilitates the control of glycemia. The preparation of this seaweed extract generates a byproduct which could be valorized, in particular in the neutraceutical field. This byproduct is especially rich in polysaccharides, of which alginate is the major component. Applicationsfor seaweed polysaccharides are emerging in many industrial and commercial feildsThe latter have found applications in various industrial fields. One of the promising avenues for these compounds is their use as a potential source of novel prebiotics. Prebiotics are generally short chain oligosaccharides or polysaccharides which act as a selective substrate for certain beneficial bacterial strains that reside in the colon in order to stimulate their growth and metabolism.

The main objective of this project is to produce oligosaccharides by enzymatic hydrolysis oligosaccharides from the byproduct of InSea2 preparation. The enzymatic hydrolysis process will be developed by the Merinov team. The hydrolysates thus generated will be evaluated for their prebiotic potential by the TransBIOTech team. Hydrolysates demonstrating a positive effect on growth and fermentative metabolism of beneficial bacterial strains without promoting the development of "harmful" bacteria will be selected for demonstration of their biological effects in animal models. Pilot scale production at Merinov will validate the hydrolysis process and produce sufficient quantities of material for efficacy testing.

The most promising hydrolyzate will be added to the chicken and pork feed to verify the effects of consumption of this supplement on zootechnical performances such as weight gain, food consumption or body composition. These tests will be carried out in the installations of Jefo Inc.

Another efficacy study will be carried out in parallel with the one carried out in livestock. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the effect of hydrolysates administered alone or in combination with BioK+ probiotics on metabolic disorder parameters. The hamster model displaying hyperlipidemia and hyperglycemia following consumption of a high-calorie diet will be used for this proof of concept. This work will be carried out by the TransBIOTech team in collaboration with Bio K +.

The success of the project will enable the valorization of a byproduct resulting from the transformation of brown algae and to develop a collaboration between the producer and companies of animal nutrition and human health. The product obtained will target markets with very high added value.