**4.7 Functional foods from microbial origin**

Monascus is a fungi class that includes *M. purpureus, M. pilosus* and *M. ruber* relevant in the field of functional food due to the presence of bioactive metabolites such as monascin and ankaflavin. These compounds possess pharmacological properties such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, immunomodulatory and anticancer [112]. A study conducted in FL83B hepatocytes and male C57BL/6 J mice observed that both monascin and ankaflavin inhibited fat accumulation in hepatocytes by preventing fatty acid uptake, lipogenesis and accelerating fatty acid β-oxidation. Monascin and ankaflavin also improved AMPK phosphorylation and downregulated expression of steatosis related genes. Treatment with monascin and ankaflavin suppressed expression of SREBP-1c, FAS, ACC and upregulated FXR, PGC-1α and PPAR-α. This result suggested that monascin and ankaflavin are potential bioactives for NAFLD [113, 114].

*Sargassum serratifolium* is a brown macroalga that possess several bioactive compounds such as sargahydroquinoic acid, sargachromenol, sargaquinoic acid, etc. This seaweed is widely used in culinary preparations of Korea and China. *S. serratifolium* have many pharmacological properties such as anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, lipid-lowering, etc. A review of C57BL/6 J mice treated with a rich ethanol fraction of *S. serratifolium* demonstrated lipid-lowering effects by activating AMPK-mediated fatty acid oxidation signaling and prevented SREBP-1c signaling related lipogenesis in the liver and fatty tissues. The extract was also able to downregulate FAS and SCD-1 along with SREBP-1c and inhibited TG synthesis and cholesterol and activated fatty acid oxidation by promoting AMPK. This showed that *S. serratifolium* is a practical, functional ingredient for alleviating NAFLD by controlling lipid accumulation in liver [115].

Freshwater clams (*Corbicula fluminea*) is well-known hepatoprotective used in Chinese traditional medicine. The major active components are brassicasterol, camesterol, stigmasterol, α-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, docosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid and carotenoids. In HepG2 cells, ethanolic extract of residual clam meat significantly decreased lipid accumulation by suppressing FAS. In tilapia and mice models, the clam extract reduced AST levels, ALT, total cholesterol, accumulation of triglycerols, etc. The extract was also able to downregulate SCD-1 index, promoted PUFA n3/n6 ratio and reduced ballooning, PGE2, total fatty acids, triacylglycerol level, hepatocyte size and inflammation, etc. This result showed that freshwater clam extract is a useful functional component for developing hepatoprotective supplements against NAFL [116].
