Résumé:
This study aims to design a plant-based food product to replace meat, in order to reduce meat consumption and decrease its environmental footprint. The secondary objective is to create a more affordable product at a lower cost than meat. The experiment was conducted at the Applied Animal Physiology Laboratory of AbdelHamid IbnBadis University, in Mostaganem. The plant materials used in this study include Azolla microphylla and duckweed (Lemna), sourced from local production units in the Mostaganem region and harvested in spring. The Azolla was cultivated in 100-liter aquariums and outdoor ponds. The aquariums maintained a temperature of 25–30°C, with a pH adjusted between 6.5 and 7.5, while nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium-based fertilizers were added to promote growth. Lighting was provided by LED lamps ensuring 12 hours of light per day, while the ponds benefited from natural light. Air pumps were used to ensure optimal oxygenation of the water. After obtaining the biomass, the Azolla was harvested, rinsed with salt water, and dried at 28°C for 72 hours. Physicochemical analyses were then carried out. The dry matter content was measured by weighing the samples before and after dehydration at 105°C for 24 hours. The dry matter content for Azolla and duckweed averaged 92.5 ± 1.2% and 89.3 ± 1.8%, respectively. The mineral content was determined after incinerating the samples at 550°C, yielding ash content of 14.6% for Azolla and 12.8% for duckweed. The organic matter was obtained by subtracting the mineral content from the dry matter, resulting in 77.9% and 76.5%, respectively, for the two plants. The fat content was 4.5% ± 0.5 for Azolla and 3.2% ± 0.4 for duckweed. Chlorophyll content was measured by spectrophotometry. Absorbance was recorded at 663 nm and 750 nm to determine chlorophyll A and B. The chlorophyll A content for Azolla was
7.8 mg/g, while that of duckweed was 6.5 mg/g.
