Prachi Lokhande*
Ayeshabano Fahim Hawaldar
Aman Paigambar Mujawar
Afrin Abdul Shaikh
Consumption of spirulina has been associated with multiple potential health benefits, including immunomodulatory, antioxidant, anticancer, antiviral and antibacterial activities, as well as protective effects against malnutrition, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, obesity, inflammatory and allergic reactions, heavy metal- or chemical-induced toxicity, radiation damage and anemia. Both in vivo and in vitro studies suggest that spirulina, when used as a dietary supplement, predominantly acts as a proinflammatory immunomodulator that ultimately supports immune function. It has been shown to enhance antioxidant defense mechanisms and promote the production of antibodies and cytokines in both healthy and diseased animal models, thereby contributing to improved immune responsiveness and overall health status. As a nutritional supplement, spirulina—a multicellular, filamentous cyanobacteria—has grown in recognition and popularity in the food processing industry. Spirulina is easily gathered and processed, because it grows in water. Both macronutrient and micronutrient levels are extremely high. It is high in vitamins, minerals, unsaturated fats, and amino acids. 55–70% protein, 15–25% polysaccharide, 5–6% total fat, 6–13% nucleic acids, and 2.2–4.8% minerals make up spirulina.3 Spirulina has received GRAS certification (Generally Recognized as Safe) from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and its use as food or a food supplement has been approved. According to a study conducted by Gupta et al. (2020), only a limited number of commercially available protein bars have an acceptable nutritional profile, and even among these, not all can be considered truly healthy. Many protein bars contain unhealthy ingredients such as artificial preservatives, high-fructose corn syrup, excess sugar, synthetic flavorings, artificial food colors, and palm oil. These components may pose a risk to human health and can potentially cause more harm than good. Regular intake of such ingredients is associated with an increased risk of insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity, visceral adiposity, dyslipidemia, fatty liver, and cardiovascular diseases.
Therefore, it is essential to read product labels carefully and choose protein bars that are formulated with healthy ingredients and functional foods. Hence, there is a need to develop bars using nutritious ingredients that are high in protein, rich in fiber and low in glycaemia index (GI). The use of ingredients such as spirulina, inulin, erythritol, whey protein isolate, peanut butter, nuts and oilseeds like flaxseeds, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds can help formulate and develop novel, unique and highly nutritious bars. The market for snacks, which includes items like crisps, crackers, cookies, biscuits, and bars, is growing daily. Since snacks now make up a large portion of their daily diet, consumers are searching for more nutritional benefits from them (Abd El-Salam, 2017). Food bars, often referred to as nutrition/snack/energy bars, are classified as handy foods and mostly consist of cereals and other high-energy ingredients with proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and minerals that give them good nutritional and sensory qualities. Energy bars are now the best option for a high-quality energy source due to the gradual changes in diet and lifestyle, growing awareness of healthy eating practices, and increased physical activity. Spirulina, Bengal gram, peanuts, and soy protein isolate are excellent sources of high?quality protein and were therefore selected as key ingredients for the development of protein-rich snack bars.
10.5281/zenodo.17818732