Harnessing the Spirulina platensis-curcumin composites to mitigate algal odor and extend shelf life in fortified bread

Exploring microalgae-based functional ingredients for food preservation and quality enhancement meets the consumers' demand for healthier staple food. This study developed nutrient-fortified composite systems (SP@Cur) by loading curcumin (Cur) onto <i>Spirulina platensis</i> (SP) as bread improvers to enhance storage stability and flavor attributes. The results showed that as the Cur concentration in composite systems increased from 200 μg/mL (L-SP@Cur) to 800 μg/mL (H-SP@Cur), the loading capacity of SP@Cur increased from 23.22 % to 57.02 %. After the addition of SP@Cur to bread, H-SP@Cur improved the bread's textural properties, and effectively extended bread's shelf life from 6 to 10 days during storage at room temperature. Furthermore, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and molecular docking analysis further confirmed Cur reduced the fishy odorants caused by SP via competitive inhibition with Hexanal and 1-Octen-3-ol, thereby improving the sensory palatability of bread. This work provides the feasibility of employing SP@Cur as multifunctional ameliorant in shelf-stable staple foods.