Microalgae are microorganisms with a singular biochemical composition, including several biologically active compounds with proven pharmacological activities, such as anticancer, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, among others. These properties make microalgae an interesting natural resource to be used as a functional ingredient, as well as in the prevention and treatment of diseases, or cosmetic formulations. Nevertheless, natural bioactives often possess inherent chemical instability and/or poor solubility, which are usually associated with low bioavailability. As such, their industrial potential as a health-promoting substance might be severely compromised. In this context, encapsulation systems are considered as a promising and emerging strategy to overcome these shortcomings due to the presence of a surrounding protective layer. Diverse systems have already been reported in the literature for natural bioactives, where some of them have been successfully applied to microalgae compounds. Therefore, this review focuses on exploring encapsulation systems for microalgae biomass, their extracts, or purified bioactives for food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic purposes. Moreover, this work also covers the most common encapsulation techniques and types of coating materials used, along with the main findings regarding the beneficial effects of these systems.

Our society lives in a time of transition where traditional petroleum-based polymers/plastics are being replaced by more sustainable alternative materials. To consider these bioproducts as more viable options than the actual ones, it is demanded to ensure that they are fully biodegradable or compostable and that there is no release of hazardous compounds to the environment with their degradation. It is then essential to adapt the legislation to support novel specific guidelines to test the biodegradability of each biopolymer in varied environments, and consequently, establish consistent data to design a coherent labeling system. This review work aims to point out the current standards that can serve as a basis for the characterization of biopolymers’ biodegradation profile in different environments (soil, compost, and aquatic systems) and identify other laboratory methodologies that have been adopted for the same purpose. With the information gathered in this work, it was possible to identify remaining gaps in existing national and international standards to help establish new validation criteria to be introduced in future research and policies related to bioplastics to boost the sustainable progress of this rising industry.

Understanding consumers’ food choices and the psychological processes involved in their preferences is crucial to promote more mindful eating regulation and guide food design. Fortifying foods minimizing the oral dryness, rough, and puckering associated with many functional ingredients has been attracting interest in understanding oral astringency over the years. A variety of studies have explored the sensorial mechanisms and the food properties determining astringency perception. The present review provides a deeper understanding of astringency, a general view of the oral mechanisms involved, and the exciting variety of the latest methods used to direct and indirectly quantify and simulate the astringency perception and the specific mechanisms involved.

Obesity is a chronic disease resulting from an imbalance between energy intake and expenditure. The growing relevance of this metabolic disease lies in its association with other comorbidities. Obesity is a multifaceted disease where intestinal hormones such as cholecystokinin (CCK), glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), and peptide YY (PYY), produced by enteroendocrine cells (EECs), have a pivotal role as signaling systems. Receptors for these hormones have been identified in the gut and different brain regions, highlighting the interconnection between gut and brain in satiation mechanisms. The intestinal microbiota (IM), directly interacting with EECs, can be modulated by the diet by providing specific nutrients that induce environmental changes in the gut ecosystem. Therefore, macronutrients may trigger the microbiota–gut–brain axis (MGBA) through mechanisms including specific nutrient-sensing receptors in EECs, inducing the secretion of specific hormones that lead to decreased appetite or increased energy expenditure. Designing drugs/functional foods based in bioactive compounds exploiting these nutrient-sensing mechanisms may offer an alternative treatment for obesity and/or associated metabolic diseases. Organ-on-a-chip technology represents a suitable approach to model multi-organ communication that can provide a robust platform for studying the potential of these compounds as modulators of the MGBA.