This study aimed to investigate Chlorella vulgaris (C. vulgaris; phototrophic and mixotrophic), and Phaeodactylum tricornutum (P. tricornutum) as a potential carotenoid source. Feed preparations containing 5, 15, or 25% of these microalgae species were applied to investigate the carotenoid bioaccessibility (in vitro digestion) as well as bioavailability in vivo in C57BL/6J mice.

C. vulgaris mainly contains lutein and β-carotene (mixotrophic), whereas P. tricornutum is rich in fucoxanthin, zeaxanthin, and β-carotene. The diet supplemented with 5% P. tricornutum and ingestion of the 15% and 25%-diet of all investigated microalgae species led to an accumulation of carotenoids and derivatives in the liver. The adipose tissue also showed carotenoids after the consumption of P. tricornutum-diets, but not after C. vulgaris ingestion. We could neither observe a significant increase nor impairment of the retinol concentration in the liver.

Thus, consumption of a microalgae-enriched diet can contribute to the absorption and accumulation of microalgal carotenoids.

这项研究旨在调查小球藻（C. vulgaris；光养和混养），以及Phaeodyylum tricornutum（P. tricornutum）作为潜在的类胡萝卜素来源。含有5、15或25％这些微藻物种的饲料制剂用于研究类胡萝卜素的生物可及性（体外消化）以及C57BL / 6J小鼠体内的生物利用度。

寻常小球藻主要含有叶黄素和β-胡萝卜素（混合营养型），而角果疟原虫富含岩藻黄质，玉米黄质和β-胡萝卜素。饮食补充有5％三角褐指藻导致在肝类胡萝卜素和衍生物的累积所有研究的微藻的15％和25％的-diet和摄取。食用角果疟原虫饮食后，脂肪组织也显示出类胡萝卜素，但摄入寻常果衣藻后则未显示出类胡萝卜素。我们既未观察到肝脏中视黄醇浓度的显着增加也未观察到损害。

因此，食用富含微藻的饮食可有助于微藻类胡萝卜素的吸收和积累。