Spirulina maximaandDiacronema vlkianummicroalgae in vegetable gelled desserts

Microalgae Proteins as Sustainable Ingredients in Novel Foods: Recent Developments and Challenges

Microalgae are receiving increased attention in the food sector as a sustainable ingredient due to their high protein content and nutritional value. They contain up to 70% proteins with the presence of all 20 essential amino acids, thus fulfilling human dietary requirements. Microalgae are considered sustainable and environmentally friendly compared to traditional protein sources as they require less land and a reduced amount of water for cultivation. Although microalgae's potential in nutritional quality and functional properties is well documented, no reviews have considered an in-depth analysis of the pros and cons of their addition to foods. The present work discusses recent findings on microalgae with respect to their protein content and nutritional quality, placing a special focus on formulated food products containing microalgae proteins. Several challenges are encountered in the production, processing, and commercialization of foods containing microalgae proteins. Solutions presented in recent studies highlight the future research and directions necessary to provide solutions for consumer acceptability of microalgae proteins and derived products.

Industry chain and challenges of microalgal food industry-a review

Currently, the whole world is facing hunger due to the increase in the global population and the rising level of food consumption. Unfortunately, the impact of environmental, climate, and political issues on agriculture has resulted in limited global food resources. Thus, it is important to develop new food sources that are environmentally friendly and not subject to climate or space limitations. Microalgae represent a potential source of nutrients and bioactive components for a wide range of high-value products. Advances in cultivation and genetic engineering techniques provide prospective approaches to widen their application for food. However, there are currently problems in the microalgae food industry in terms of assessing nutritional value, selecting processes for microalgae culture, obtaining suitable commercial strains of microalgae, etc. Additionally, the limitations of real data of market opportunities for microalgae make it difficult to assess their actual potential and to develop a better industrial chain. This review addresses the current status of the microalgae food industry, the process of commercializing microalgae food and breeding methods. Current research progress in addressing the limitations of microalgae industrialization and future prospects for developing microalgae food products are discussed.

Health Benefits, Food Applications, and Sustainability of Microalgae-Derived N-3 PUFA

Today's consumers are increasingly aware of the beneficial effects of n-3 PUFA in preventing, delaying, and intervening various diseases, such as coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes, inflammatory and autoimmune disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, depression, and many other ailments. The role of n-3 PUFA on aging and cognitive function is also one of the hot topics in basic research, product development, and clinical applications. For decades, n-3 PUFA, especially EPA and DHA, have been supplied by fish oil and seafood. With the continuous increase of global population, awareness about the health benefits of n-3 PUFA, and socioeconomic improvement worldwide, the supply chain is facing increasing challenges of insufficient production. In this regard, microalgae have been well considered as promising sources of n-3 PUFA oil to mitigate the supply shortages. The use of microalgae to produce n-3 PUFA-rich oils has been explored for over two decades and some species have already been used commercially to produce n-3 PUFA, in particular EPA- and/or DHA-rich oils. In addition to n-3 PUFA, microalgae biomass contains many other high value biomolecules, which can be used in food, dietary supplement, pharmaceutical ingredient, and feedstock. The present review covers the health benefits of n-3 PUFA, EPA, and DHA, with particular attention given to the various approaches attempted in the nutritional interventions using EPA and DHA alone or combined with other nutrients and bioactive compounds towards improved health conditions in people with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. It also covers the applications of microalgae n-3 PUFA in food and dietary supplement sectors and the economic and environmental sustainability of using microalgae as a platform for n-3 PUFA-rich oil production.

Microalgal Proteins and Bioactives for Food, Feed, and Other Applications

Microalgae are a known source of proteins, prebiotics, lipids, small molecules, anti-oxidants and bioactives with health benefits that can be harnessed for the development of functional foods, feeds, cosmeceuticals and pharmaceuticals. This review collates information on the supply, processing costs, target markets and value of microalgae, as well as microalgal proteins, lipids, vitamins and minerals. It discusses the potential impact that microalgae could have on global food and feed supply and highlights gaps that exist with regards to the use of microalgal proteins and ingredients as foods and supplements.

The Chemical and Nutritional Properties of Processed Fruit Enriched with Algae

Currently, processed fruits (sour fruit and fruit paste) are consumed as one of the most popular goodies in the some countries, and the position of this product in the food basket of Iranian families is gradually becoming important. Algae are an excellent potential source of natural compounds that can be used as a functional food. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Sargassum ilicifolium, Ulva lactuca, and Gracilaria cortica algae at different concentrations (1.5 and 3%) on the chemical and nutritional properties of processed fruit formulations. Fatty acid profiles were measured by gas chromatography. Vitamin contents were measured using HPLC. Inductively coupled plasma (ICP) was used to measure minerals. In the fatty acid profile, 21 fatty acids including saturated fatty acids, unsaturated fatty acids, and PUFAs were identified. The predominant fatty acids in samples were palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, and linoleic acid. E and B1 vitamins varied from 6.19 to 22.63 mg/g and 5.38–19.10 mg/g in sour fruits and fruit paste, respectively. Among the minerals, iodine was at the highest level in all samples (5.06–607.46 mg/g). In conclusion, these seaweeds can be used as a suitable source of fatty acids, minerals, and vitamins in the formulation of functional processed fruits, which are essential for human health.

Use of Microalgae Biomass for Fortification of Food Products from Grain

This article describes the use of Chlorella sorokiniana biomass additives in pasta recipes to enrich the product with biologically active phytonutrients, as well as to achieve the desired color range without the use of synthetic dyes. Samples of dry biomass were obtained by the cultivation of microalgae C. sorokiniana (strain), its quality indicators and nutritional value were determined for use as a food additive. A method of using dry biomass of microalgae C. sorokiniana as a phytoadditive to replace 5% of flour mixture for effective enrichment of pasta with biologically active phytonutrients was proposed. The choice of the optimal amount of addition of microalgae biomass was proved since it turned out that the replacement of flour should be no more than 5% due to the distinct fish flavor of the final product. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of adding dry biomass of Chlorella microalgae on total protein, lipid, chlorophyll, and carotenoid content. Substitution of 5% of pasta flour led to an increase in the content of proteins and lipids to 15.7 ± 0.50% and 4.1 ± 0.06%, respectively. Meanwhile, the addition of microalgae Chlorella to pasta has helped to increase the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids, chlorophyll, and carotenoids which are necessary for the prevention of foodborne diseases. The aim of this study is to develop pasta recipe with additives of microalgae biomass C. sorokiniana and study their quality indicators.

Microalgae as sustainable food and feed sources for animals and humans - Biotechnological and environmental aspects

Offering a potential solution for global food security and mitigating environmental issues caused by the expansion of land-based food production, the carbon-hunger and nutrient-rich microalgae emerged as a sustainable food source for both humans and animals. Other than as an alternative source for protein, microalgae offer its most valuable nutrients, omega-3 and 6 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids where the content can compete with that of marine fish with lower chemicals contamination and higher purity. Furthermore, the colorful pigments of microalgae can act as antioxidants together with many other health-improving properties as well as a natural colorant. In addition, the supplementation of algae as animal feed provides plentiful benefits, such as improved growth and body weight, reduced feed intake, enhanced immune response and durability towards illness, antibacterial and antiviral action as well as enrichment of livestock products with bioactive compounds. The significant breakthrough in algal biotechnology has made algae a powerful "cell factory" for food production and lead to the rapid growth of the algal bioeconomy in the food and feed industry. The first overview of this review was to present the general of microalgae and its potential capability. Subsequently, the nutritional compositions of microalgae were discussed together with its applications in human foods and animal feeds, followed by the exploration of their economic feasibility and sustainability as well as market trends. Lastly, both challenges and future perspectives were also discussed.

Microalgal biomass — a bio-based additive: evaluation of green smoothies during storage

Microalgae biomass addition to food has been studied for its nutritional fortification. The present work investigates the impact of microalgae (Chlorella vulgaris and Dunaliella salina) addition, in terms of quality characteristics, during a 28-day storage at 5°C. As much as 2.5% (w/v) of C. vulgaris and D. salina were separately added to fresh green smoothies (spinach, green apple, and cucumber) as food additive. Without any thermal application during storage at 5°C, the changes in pH, total soluble, solid contents, titratable acidity, microbial loads, phenolic contents, antioxidant activity, and sensory characteristics were determined. The addition of microalgae biomass, either Chlorella or Dunaliella, was found statistically significant, but this addition did not make a significant difference during the 28-day storage. Compared to control samples (at day 0; 163.16 mg GAE/100 g and 2.56 mmol GAE/100 g), Dunaliella biomass affected green smoothie more positively on total phenolic (at day 0; 395.79 mg GAE/100 g) and antioxidant activity (at day 0; 5.54 mmol GAE/100 g), than Chlorella biomass (at day 0; 384.21 mg GAE/100 g and 4.22 mmol GAE/100 g). Also, a shelf-life study on 28-day storage at 5°C found that Dunaliella-added smoothies were more preferred by the panellists, while Chlorella-added samples exhibited off-odour and off-flavour through storage. Smoothie supplementation with 2.5% microalgae biomass caused a decrease in the initial microbial load. Due to this reduction, it can be said that microalgae supplementation as an additive was effective, and microalgae-added samples were shown below the "microbiologically consumable level" throughout the 28-day shelf-life study.

Microalgae n-3 PUFAs Production and Use in Food and Feed Industries

N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs), and especially eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are essential compounds for human health. They have been proven to act positively on a panel of diseases and have interesting anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory or anti-cancer properties. For these reasons, they are receiving more and more attention in recent years, especially future food or feed development. EPA and DHA come mainly from marine sources like fish or seaweed. Unfortunately, due to global warming, these compounds are becoming scarce for humans because of overfishing and stock reduction. Although increasing in recent years, aquaculture appears insufficient to meet the increasing requirements of these healthy molecules for humans. One alternative resides in the cultivation of microalgae, the initial producers of EPA and DHA. They are also rich in biochemicals with interesting properties. After defining macro and microalgae, this review synthesizes the current knowledge on n-3 PUFAs regarding health benefits and the challenges surrounding their supply within the environmental context. Microalgae n-3 PUFA production is examined and its synthesis pathways are discussed. Finally, the use of EPA and DHA in food and feed is investigated. This work aims to define better the issues surrounding n-3 PUFA production and supply and the potential of microalgae as a sustainable source of compounds to enhance the food and feed of the future.

Cheese Whey Processing: Integrated Biorefinery Concepts and Emerging Food Applications

Cheese whey constitutes one of the most polluting by-products of the food industry, due to its high organic load. Thus, in order to mitigate the environmental concerns, a large number of valorization approaches have been reported; mainly targeting the recovery of whey proteins and whey lactose from cheese whey for further exploitation as renewable resources. Most studies are predominantly focused on the separate implementation, either of whey protein or lactose, to configure processes that will formulate value-added products. Likewise, approaches for cheese whey valorization, so far, do not exploit the full potential of cheese whey, particularly with respect to food applications. Nonetheless, within the concept of integrated biorefinery design and the transition to circular economy, it is imperative to develop consolidated bioprocesses that will foster a holistic exploitation of cheese whey. Therefore, the aim of this article is to elaborate on the recent advances regarding the conversion of whey to high value-added products, focusing on food applications. Moreover, novel integrated biorefining concepts are proposed, to inaugurate the complete exploitation of cheese whey to formulate novel products with diversified end applications. Within the context of circular economy, it is envisaged that high value-added products will be reintroduced in the food supply chain, thereby enhancing sustainability and creating "zero waste" processes.

Potential Industrial Applications and Commercialization of Microalgae in the Functional Food and Feed Industries: A Short Review

Bioactive compounds, e.g., protein, polyunsaturated fatty acids, carotenoids, vitamins and minerals, found in commercial form of microalgal biomass (e.g., powder, flour, liquid, oil, tablet, or capsule forms) may play important roles in functional food (e.g., dairy products, desserts, pastas, oil-derivatives, or supplements) or feed (for cattle, poultry, shellfish, and fish) with favorable outcomes upon human health, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antiviral effects, as well as prevention of gastric ulcers, constipation, anemia, diabetes, and hypertension. However, scale up remains a major challenge before commercial competitiveness is attained. Notwithstanding the odds, a few companies have already overcome market constraints, and are successfully selling extracts of microalgae as colorant, or supplement for food and feed industries. Strong scientific evidence of probiotic roles of microalgae in humans is still lacking, while scarce studies have concluded on probiotic activity in marine animals upon ingestion. Limitations in culture harvesting and shelf life extension have indeed constrained commercial viability. There are, however, scattered pieces of evidence that microalgae play prebiotic roles, owing to their richness in oligosaccharides-hardly fermented by other members of the intestinal microbiota, or digested throughout the gastrointestinal tract of humans/animals for that matter. However, consistent applications exist only in the dairy industry and aquaculture. Despite the underlying potential in formulation of functional food/feed, extensive research and development efforts are still required before microalgae at large become a commercial reality in food and feed formulation.

Trends in Microalgae Incorporation Into Innovative Food Products With Potential Health Benefits

Microalgae have demonstrated potential to meet the population's need for a more sustainable food supply, specifically with respect to protein demand. These promising protein sources present several advantages over other currently used raw materials from an environmental point of view. Additionally, one of the main characteristics of microalgae is the production of bioactive compounds with potential benefits for human health. Microalgae exploitation as a source of protein (bulk protein) and other valuable products within the food industry still presents some drawbacks, mainly because of the underdeveloped technologies and processes currently available for microalgae processing. The systematic improvement of the technology readiness level (TRL) could help change the current situation if applied to microalgae cultivation and processing. High maturity in microalgae cultivation and processing technologies also requires improvement of the economy of scale and investment of resources in new facilities and research. Antioxidative, antihypertensive, immunomodulatory, anticancerogenic, hepato-protective, and anticoagulant activities have been attributed to some microalgae-derived compounds such as peptides. Nevertheless, research on this topic is scarce and the evidence on potential health benefits is not strong. In the last years, the possibility of using microalgae-derived compounds for innovative functional food products has become of great interest, but the literature available mainly focuses more on the addition of the whole cells or some compound already available on the market. This review describes the status of utilising microalgae as an ingredient in innovative food products with potential health benefits.

Microalgae as healthy ingredients for functional food: a review

Microalgae are very interesting and valuable natural sources of highly valuable bioactive compounds, such as vitamins, essential amino acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, minerals, carotenoids, enzymes and fibre.

Combining nutrition, food science and engineering in developing solutions to Inflammatory bowel diseases--omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids as an example

The Inflammatory bowel diseases, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, are debilitating conditions, characterised by lifelong sensitivity to certain foods, and often a need for surgery and life-long medication. The anti-inflammatory effects of long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated acids justify their inclusion in enteral nutrition formulas that have been associated with disease remission. However, there have been variable data in clinical trials to test supplementary omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in inducing or maintaining remission in these diseases. Although variability in trial design has been suggested as a major factor, we suggest that variability in processing and presentation of the products may be equally or more important. The nature of the source, and rapidity of getting the fish or other food source to processing or to market, will affect the percentage of the various fatty acids, possible presence of heavy metal contaminants and oxidation status of the various fatty acids. For dietary supplements or fortified foods, whether the product is encapsulated or not, whether storage is under nitrogen or not, and length of time between harvest, processing and marketing will again profoundly affect the properties of the final product. Clinical trials to test efficacy of these products in IBD to date have utilised the relevant skills of pharmacology and gastroenterology. We suggest that knowledge from food science, nutrition and engineering will be essential to establish the true role of this important group of compounds in these diseases.

Incorporation of Chlorella vulgaris and Spirulina maxima biomass in pasta products. Part 1: Preparation and evaluation

BACKGROUND

Microalgae are able to enhance the nutritional content of conventional foods and hence to positively affect human health, due to their original chemical composition. The aim of the present study was to prepare fresh spaghetti enriched with different amounts of microalgae biomass (Chlorella vulgaris and Spirulina maxima) and to compare the quality parameters (optimal cooking time, cooking losses, swelling index and water absorption), chemical composition, instrumental texture and colour of the raw and cooked pasta enriched with microalgae biomass with standard semolina spaghetti.

RESULTS

The incorporation of microalgae results in an increase of quality parameters when compared to the control sample. The colour of microalgae pastas remained relatively stable after cooking. The addition of microalgae resulted in an increase in the raw pasta firmness when compared to the control sample. Of all the microalgae studied, an increase in the biomass concentration (0.5-2.0%) resulted in a general tendency of an increase in the pasta firmness. Sensory analysis revealed that microalgae pastas had higher acceptance scores by the panellists than the control pasta.

CONCLUSION

Microalgae pastas presented very appellative colours, such as orange and green, similar to pastas produced with vegetables, with nutritional advantages, showing energetic values similar to commercial pastas. The use of microalgae biomass can enhance the nutritional and sensorial quality of pasta, without affecting its cooking and textural properties.