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

Effects of heterotrophic Euglena gracilis powder on dough microstructure, rheological properties, texture, and nutritional composition of steamed bread

This study investigated the effects of incorporating different levels of Euglena gracilis microalgae powder (MP) on the dough properties, rheology, and quality attributes of Chinese steamed bread (CSB) for the first time. Moderate levels of MP (2%) reinforced the gluten network and improved protein structure, while higher levels (4-8%) adversely affected the gluten network and rheological properties. The addition of MP decreased the specific volume, pore number, and pore density of CSB, but increased pore size, hardness, and chewiness. It also imparted a yellow color to the CSB and slowed down moisture loss during storage. Notably, MP effectively increased the protein and lipid content of CSB, enhancing its nutritional value. The results suggest that optimizing the MP level is crucial to achieve nutritional enhancement while maintaining desirable texture and sensory attributes. An addition of 2% MP can strike a balance between nutrition and the overall quality of the final product.

Microalgal proteins: Unveiling sustainable alternatives to address the protein challenge

Recent breakthroughs emphasized the considerable potential of microalgae as a sustainable protein source. Microalgae are regarded as a substitute for protein-rich foods because of their high protein and amino acid content. However, despite their nutritional value, microalgae cannot be easily digested by humans due to the presence of cell walls. In the subsequent sections, protein extraction technology, the overview of the inherent challenges of the process, and the summary of the factors affecting protein extraction and utilization have been deliberated. Moreover, the review inspected the formation of proteolytic products, highlighting their diverse bioactivities, including antioxidant, antihypertensive, and immunomodulatory activities. Finally, the discussion extended to the emerging microalgal protein sourced foods, such as baked goods and nutritional supplements, as well as the sensory and marketing challenges encountered in the production of microalgal protein foods. The lack of consumer awareness about the health benefits of microalgae complicates its acceptance in the market. Long-standing challenges, such as high production costs, persist. Currently, multi-product utilization strategies are being developed to improve the economic viability of microalgae. By integrating economic, environmental, and social factors, microalgae protein can be sustainably developed to provide a reliable source of raw materials for the future food industry.

Foods of the Future: Challenges, Opportunities, Trends, and Expectations

Creating propositions for the near and distant future requires a design to catch the tide of the times and move with or against trends. In addition, appropriate, adaptable, flexible, and transformational projects are needed in light of changes in science, technology, social, economic, political, and demographic fields over time. Humanity is facing a period in which science and developing technologies will be even more important in solving food safety, health, and environmental problems. Adapting to and mitigating climate change; reducing pollution, waste, and biodiversity loss; and feeding a growing global population with safe food are key challenges facing the agri-food industry and the food supply chain, requiring systemic transformation in agricultural systems and sustainable future agri-food. The aim of this review is to compile scientific evidence and data, define, and create strategies for the future in terms of food security, safety, and sufficiency; future sustainable foods and alternative protein sources; factors affecting food and nutrition security and agriculture; and promising food systems such as functional foods, novel foods, synthetic biology, and 3D food printing. In this review, the safety, conservation, nutritional, sensory, welfare, and potential challenges and limitations of food systems and the opportunities to overcome them on the basis of new approaches, innovative interpretations, future possibilities, and technologies are discussed. Additionally, this review also offers suggestions for future research and food trends in light of future perspectives. This article focuses on future sustainable foods, alternative protein sources, and novel efficient food systems, highlights scientific and technological advances and new research directions, and provides a significant perspective on sustainability.

Investigating the nutritional viability of marine-derived protein for sustainable future development

Marine-derived proteins are emerging as a pivotal resource with diverse applications in food, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnological industries. The marine environment offers many protein sources, including fish, shellfish, algae, and microbes, which garnered attention due to their nutritional composition. Evaluating their protein and amino acid profiles is essential in assessing their viability as substitutes for conventional protein sources. Continuously exploiting marine ecosystems for protein extraction has led to significant environmental impacts. The optimization of aquacultural practices and implementation of innovative practices are imperative for the sustainable production of marine-based protein. This review will discuss the different sources of marine proteins, their nutritional profile, and their associated environmental impact. It also reviews the relationship between aquaculture advancements and regulatory frameworks toward attaining sustainable practices, alongside exploring the challenges and potentials in utilizing marine sources for protein production.

Microalgae as a New Source of Oxylipins: A Comprehensive LC-MS-Based Analysis Using Conventional and Green Extraction Methods

Microalgae are promising sources of essential lipids, including omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 and n-6 PUFA) and novel lipid metabolites like oxylipins. However, limited data exist on the oxylipin profile, its characterization, and the potential impact of the extraction process on these metabolites in microalgae. Thus, our study aimed to investigate the fatty acid and oxylipin profile of four microalgal species of interest (Microchloropsis gaditana, Tisochrysis lutea, Phaeodactylum tricornutum, and Porphyridium cruentum) while also examining the impact of the extraction method, with a focus on developing a greener process using ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and ethanol. The UAE method showed similar oxylipin profiles, generally yielding concentrations comparable to those of the conventional Folch method. In total, 68 oxylipins derived from n-3 and n-6 PUFA were detected, with the highest concentrations of n-3 oxylipins found in P. tricornutum and T. lutea and of n-6 oxylipins in P. cruentum. This study provides the most extensive oxylipin characterization of these microalgae species to date, offering insights into alternative extraction methods and opening new avenues for further investigation of the significance of oxylipins in microalgae.

Macroalgae-derived bioactive compounds for functional food and pharmaceutical applications-a critical review

The rising demand for global food resources, combined with an overreliance on land-based agroecosystems, poses a significant challenge for the sustainable production of food products. Macroalgae cultivation is a promising approach to mitigate impending global food insecurities due to several key factors: independence from terrestrial farming, rapid growth rates, unique biochemical makeup, and carbon capture potential. Furthermore, macroalgae are rich in vitamins, minerals, essential amino acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids and fiber, demonstrating significant potential as sustainable alternatives for enhancing dietary diversity and fulfilling nutritional requirements. This review provides an overview of the nutritional composition and functional properties of commercially cultivated macroalgae species, with emphasis on their viability as value additions to the functional food market. Furthermore, the review discusses the technological aspects of integrating macroalgae into food products, covering both innovative solutions and existing challenges. Macroalgae, beyond being nutritional powerhouses, contain a plethora of bioactive compounds with varied biological activities, including anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, cardioprotective, and neuroprotective properties, making them excellent candidates in developing novel pharmaceuticals. Thus, this review also summarizes the pharmaceutical applications of macroalgae, identifies research gaps and proposes potential strategies for incorporating macroalgae-derived bioactive compounds into therapeutic products.

Sustainable microalgal biomass as a potential functional food and its applications in food industry: a comprehensive review

Microalgae (MA) are the most abundant seaweeds with high nutritional properties. They are accepted as potential biocatalysts for the bioremediation of wastewater. They are widely used in food, feed, and biofuel industries and can potentially be food for future generations. MA-based purification of wastewater technology could be a universal alternative solution for the recovery of resources from wastewater for low-cost biomass feedstock for industry. They provide a wide range of functional components, viz. omega-3 fatty acids, along with a plenteous number of pigments such as ß-carotene, astaxanthin, lutein, phycocyanin, and chlorophyll, which are used extensively as food additives and nutraceuticals. Further, proteins, lipids, vitamins, and carbohydrates are described as nutritional characteristics in MA. They are investigated as single-cell protein, thickening/stabilizing agents, and pigment sources in the food industry. The review emphasizes the production and extraction of nutritional and functional components of algal biomass and the role of microalgal polysaccharides in digestion and nutritional absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. Further, the use of MA in the food industry was also investigated along with their potential therapeutic applications.

Current challenges of microalgae applications: exploiting the potential of non-conventional microalgae species

The intensified attention to health, the growth of an elderly population, the changing lifestyles, and the medical discoveries have increased demand for natural and nutrient-rich foods, shaping the popularity of microalgae products. Microalgae thanks to their metabolic versatility represent a promising solution for a 'green' economy, exploiting non-arable land, non-potable water, capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) and solar energy. The interest in microalgae is justified by their high content of bioactive molecules, such as amino acids, peptides, proteins, carbohydrates, polysaccharides, polyunsaturated fatty acids (as ω-3 fatty acids), pigments (as β-carotene, astaxanthin, fucoxanthin, phycocyanin, zeaxanthin and lutein), or mineral elements. Such molecules are of interest for human and animal nutrition, cosmetic and biofuel production, for which microalgae are potential renewable sources. Microalgae, also, represent effective biological systems for treating a variety of wastewaters and can be used as a CO2 mitigation approach, helping to combat greenhouse gases and global warming emergencies. Recently a growing interest has focused on extremophilic microalgae species, which are easier to cultivate axenically and represent good candidates for open pond cultivation. In some cases, the cultivation and/or harvesting systems are still immature, but novel techniques appear as promising solutions to overcome such barriers. This review provides an overview on the actual microalgae cultivation systems and the current state of their biotechnological applications to obtain high value compounds or ingredients. Moreover, potential and future research opportunities for environment, human and animal benefits are pointed out. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

A sulfated exopolysaccharide derived from Chlorella sp. exhibiting in vitro anti-α-D-Glucosidase activity

There is a great scientific curiosity to discover all environments sheltering microalgae, especially those with exceptional characteristics from coldest to hottest ones, the purpose remains to explore the potential of the native microalgae flora and the research for new bioactive compounds. This study aimed to isolate a polysaccharide-producing microalga from an extreme ecosystem and to evaluate its capacity to inhibit the α-D-glucosidase enzyme. Chlorella strain is isolated from hypersaline Lake in the Algerian desert. The exopolysaccharide extraction was performed by the concentration of free-cell supernatant in a rotary evaporator. The infrared analysis showed a characteristic footprint of carbohydrates with particular functional groups, such as sulfate. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry has revealed a hetero-exopolysaccharide composed of galactose 35.75%, glucose 21.13%, xylose 16.81%, fructose 6.96%, arabinose 5.10%, and glucuronic acid 2.68%. The evaluation of the anti-hyperglycemic activity demonstrated a significant α-D-glucosidase inhibition of 80.94 ± 0.01% at 10 mg mL-1 with IC50 equal to 4.31 ± 0.20 mg mL-1. This study opens a vast prospect to use exopolysaccharides as natural nutraceutical or food additive.

Dairy, Plant, and Novel Proteins: Scientific and Technological Aspects

Alternative proteins have gained popularity as consumers look for foods that are healthy, nutritious, and sustainable. Plant proteins, precision fermentation-derived proteins, cell-cultured proteins, algal proteins, and mycoproteins are the major types of alternative proteins that have emerged in recent years. This review addresses the major alternative-protein categories and reviews their definitions, current market statuses, production methods, and regulations in different countries, safety assessments, nutrition statuses, functionalities and applications, and, finally, sensory properties and consumer perception. Knowledge relative to traditional dairy proteins is also addressed. Opportunities and challenges associated with these proteins are also discussed. Future research directions are proposed to better understand these technologies and to develop consumer-acceptable final products.

Microalgae: potential novel protein for sustainable human nutrition

To support a global population of ~10 billion people in 2050, dietary protein demand is forecast to increase 32-78% compared to 2017, requiring significantly higher planetary resources. Microalgae are an attractive sustainable protein source compared with current plant and animal sources. Benefits include mass scalability, low CO2 emissions, and significantly reduced land and freshwater use per unit protein. Microalgae are already used as food products and numerous species exhibit high total protein contents and well-balanced essential amino acid (EAA) compositions for human dietary requirements. Microalgae proteins are also bioavailable for human digestion, and downstream processing steps are likely to further enhance protein digestibility. Species, cultivation, and process/product optimisation are actively being developed to enhance their nutritional, social, and environmental benefits.

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.

Microalgae cultivation for treating agricultural effluent and producing value-added products

Wastewater generated within agricultural sectors such as dairies, piggeries, poultry farms, and cattle meat processing plants is expected to reach 600 million m3 yr-1 globally. Currently, the wastewater produced by these industries are primarily treated by aerobic and anaerobic methods. However, the treated effluent maintains a significant concentration of nutrients, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus. On the other hand, the valorisation of conventional microalgae biomass into bioproducts with high market value still requires expensive processing pathways such as dewatering and extraction. Consequently, cultivating microalgae using agricultural effluents shows the potential as a future technology for producing value-added products and treated water with low nutrient content. This review explores the feasibility of growing microalgae on agricultural effluents and their ability to remove nutrients, specifically nitrogen and phosphorus. In addition to evaluating the market size and value of products from wastewater-grown microalgae, we also analysed their biochemical characteristics including protein, carbohydrate, lipid, and pigment content. Furthermore, we assessed the costs of both upstream and downstream processing of biomass to gain a comprehensive understanding of the economic potential of the process. The findings from this study are expected to facilitate further techno-economic and feasibility assessments by providing insights into optimized processing pathways and ultimately leading to the reduction of costs.

Ultrasound-assisted extraction of carotenoids from phytoene-accumulating Chlorella sorokiniana microalgae: Effect of milling and performance of the green biosolvents 2-methyltetrahydrofuran and ethyl lactate

This study aimed at optimizing the accumulation of phytoene in Chlorella sorokiniana by using norflurazon and investigating the capacity of green and traditional solvents to extract carotenoids by ultrasound-assisted extraction with and without previous milling. Phytoene-rich first described C. sorokiniana biomass was used, both fresh, freeze-dried, and encapsulated. The ideal dose of norflurazon (1 µg/mL) was selected to block the carotenoid pathway at the level of phytoene desaturase and induce the accumulation of phytoene in C. sorokiniana. A mill pre-treatment allowed a higher recovery of carotenoids compared to non-milled samples, in both the freeze-dried and encapsulated matrices. 2-Methyloxolane provided a higher total carotenoid content (4.75-5546.96 µg/g) compared to the other solvents tested in all the matrices, proving a promising bio-based solvent to replace traditional organic ones for the extraction of microalgal carotenoids.

Microalgae as an Alternative Mineral Source in Poultry Nutrition

This review explores the potential of microalgae as a sustainable and nutritionally rich alternative for mineral supplementation in poultry diets, addressing both the opportunities and challenges in this emerging field. Poultry nutrition, pivotal to the health and productivity of birds, traditionally relies on inorganic and organic mineral sources which, while effective, raise environmental and economic concerns. Microalgae offer a promising solution with their high contents of essential minerals, proteins, vitamins, and bioactive compounds. This review delves into the nutritional profiles of various microalgae, highlighting their rich contents of minerals which are crucial for physiological processes in poultry. It examines the bioavailability of these minerals and their impact on poultry health and productivity. Furthermore, it evaluates the environmental sustainability of microalgae cultivation and acknowledges the challenges in using microalgae in poultry diets, particularly in terms of the economic viability of large-scale production and the consistency of nutrient composition. It discusses the importance of rigorous safety assessments and regulatory compliance, given the potential risks of toxins and heavy metals. Overall, this analysis aims to provide a clear understanding of the role microalgae could play in poultry nutrition and address sustainability challenges in animal agriculture while also considering future perspectives and advancements needed in this field.

The microalgae's ability to accumulate selected trace elements studied by ICP-MS/MS and chemometric methods

BACKGROUND

Microalgae can be used in different branches of industry, including cosmetology, pharmaceutics and the food industry, information on their ability to accumulate different elements becomes more important. The microalgae biomass grown in the media enriched in elements can increase the accumulation of different ions and give a possibility to control the contents of the various elements.

METHODS

The aim of the study was to determine the total content of metals in microalgae by tandem mass spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma (ICP-MS/MS) and analysis of the contents of particular metals as a function of the type of microalgae and conditions of cultivation. As the adverse effects of metals on the health of humans and animals have been well-documented and the use of microalgae has increased, the knowledge of metal contents in them is of particular importance in control of their quality.

RESULTS

Analysis of results permitted distinction of three main groups of microalgae with similar total metal content levels. Moreover, the results revealed the ways of stimulating more significant accumulation of selected elements (for example, Se concentration in control algae 0.279 µg g-1, in the algae cultivated in enriched medium - 219.7 µg g-1). They indicated the possible correlations between the accumulation of different ions. The result obtained shows a significant effect of metal accumulation and has a considerable impact on the differentiation of Arthrospira platensis grown in the medium enriched in different elements (selenium, zinc, chromium) (p ≤ 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Particular impact on the content of selected elements had the conditions of cultivation (type of support) and the microalgae species. Although the one species as the most significant source of selected elements cannot be indicated, it is possible to control the accumulation by the composition of the medium.

Legal Aspects of Microalgae in the European Food Sector

The interest in microalgae as food in Europe is growing due to its remarkable features that can foster a sustainable economy. The lack of tradition on their use among Europeans is changing and a demand for more sustainable products is increasing. The legal framework from the microalgae stakeholders' point of view has been consistently identified as a bottleneck, regardless of its nutritional value and potential to provide added-value metabolites. Microalgae-based products have been mostly consumed as food supplements, which are characterized by some general uncertainty with regards to food security of products sourced from non-European countries. The novel foods regulation is a landmark in Europe's food law defining the conditions in which a new type of food can be commercialized. Currently, a more simplified and centralized version is in place, and around eleven microalgae-based products are on the market; however, more than half are represented by Schizochytrium sp. derived products (DHA-rich oil). Microalgae have immense potential as a sustainable food source; nonetheless, there is limited experience in assessing the safety of these microorganisms, considering the uncertainty around undesirable substances present in the way they are produced and their diverse metabolites. Here, we overview the regulatory use of microalgae as food in Europe with a focus on market introduction, highlighting the administrative procedures and scientific requirements to assess food safety. We also discuss the implications of the Transparency regulation related to microalgae as novel foods and provide considerations for a more solid interaction between academia and industry.

Algae-based approaches for Holistic wastewater management: A low-cost paradigm

Aquatic algal communities demonstrated their appeal for diverse industrial applications due to their vast availability, ease of harvest, lower production costs, and ability to biosynthesize valuable molecules. Algal biomass is promising because it can multiply in water and on land. Integrated algal systems have a significant advantage in wastewater treatment due to their ability to use phosphorus and nitrogen, simultaneously accumulating heavy metals and toxic substances. Several species of microalgae have adapted to thrive in these harsh environmental circumstances. The potential of algal communities contributes to achieving the United Nations' sustainable development goals in improving aquaculture, combating climate change, reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, and providing biomass as a biofuel feedstock. Algal-based biomass processing technology facilitates the development of a circular bio-economy that is both commercially and ecologically viable. An integrated bio-refinery process featuring zero waste discharge could be a sustainable solution. In the current review, we will highlight wastewater management by algal species. In addition, designing and optimizing algal bioreactors for wastewater treatment have also been incorporated.

Mixotrophic culture of Chaetoceros sp. and the synergistic carbon and energy metabolism

This research studied the metabolic mechanism of the mixotrophic Chaetoceros sp. The results showed this alga had the highest cell density and growth rate of 47.72 × 105 cells mL-1 and 0.41 d-1, respectively, with a maximum dry weight of 2.90 g/L, when compared to photoautotrophic and photoheterotrophic modes. Compared to photoheterotrophy, transcriptomics results showed the Rubisco, PGK, and GAPDH related genes were separately up-regulated by 1.03, 2.36, and 1.36 times in CBB cycle in mixotrophic mode, suggesting intermediate metabolites of EMP and PPP can enter the chloroplast via transporter proteins, or membrane permeation, and feedback inhibition regulates the reduction of multiple reactions in CBB cycle. Chaetoceros sp. achieves high biomass by utilizing ATP and carbon structures from EMP and PPP pathways, and the addition of NaHCO3 leads to an up-regulation of CBB cycle for the mixotrophic alga, resulting in higher biomass compared to the photoheterotrophic mode.

A novel approach for the protein determination in food-relevant microalgae

Microalgae are gaining interest as food ingredient. Assessments of functional and nutritional properties are necessary to forward their implementation. In this study, protein content and composition of eight commercially available microalgae biomasses were determined and compared to conventional food proteins. A novel procedure for the determination of the true protein content was proposed: Multiplication of proteinic nitrogen with a sample-specific nitrogen-to-protein conversion factor kA. The proteinic nitrogen was derived from the difference of total nitrogen minus non-protein nitrogen. The average kA for microalgae was 5.3 and considerable variation between different microalgae biomasses were detected. In addition, the content of non-protein nitrogen varied between 3.4% and 15.4%. The amino acid profiles of Chlorella samples were nutritionally superior to the tested plant proteins but indicated lower protein interaction tendency, potentially limiting their structuring functionality. In contrast, Auxenochlorella contained lower amounts of indispensable amino acids while showing comparable interaction potential to plant proteins.

Utilizing proteomics to identify and optimize microalgae strains for high-quality dietary protein: a review

Algae-derived protein has immense potential to provide high-quality protein foods for the expanding human population. To meet its potential, a broad range of scientific tools are required to identify optimal algal strains from the hundreds of thousands available and identify ideal growing conditions for strains that produce high-quality protein with functional benefits. A research pipeline that includes proteomics can provide a deeper interpretation of microalgal composition and biochemistry in the pursuit of these goals. To date, proteomic investigations have largely focused on pathways that involve lipid production in selected microalgae species. Herein, we report the current state of microalgal proteome measurement and discuss promising approaches for the development of protein-containing food products derived from algae.

A review of alternative proteins for vegan diets: Sources, physico-chemical properties, nutritional equivalency, and consumer acceptance

Alternate proteins are gaining popularity as a more sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to animal-based proteins. These proteins are often considered healthier and are suitable for people following a vegetarian or vegan diet. Alternative proteins can be recovered from natural sources like legumes, grains, nuts, and seeds, while single cell proteins (mycoproteins), and algal proteins are being developed using cutting-edge technology to grow fungus, yeast and algal cells in a controlled environment, creating a more sustainable source of protein. Although, the demand for alternative protein products is increasing, there still happens to be a large gap in use among the general consumers mainly stemming from its lower bioavailability, lack of nutritional equivalency and reduced digestibility compared to animal proteins. The focus of the review is to emphasize on various sources and technologies for recovering alternative proteins for vegan diets. The review discusses physicochemical properties of alternative proteins and emphasise on the role of various processing technologies that can change the digestibility and bioavailability of these proteins. It further accentuates the nutritional equivalency and environmental sustainability of alternative protein against the conventional proteins from animals. The food laws surrounding alternative proteins as well as the commercial potential and consumer acceptance of alternative protein products are also highlighted. Finally, key challenges to improve the consumer acceptability and market value of plant-based proteins would be in achieving nutrient equivalency and enhance bioavailability and digestibility while maintaining the same physicochemical properties, taste, texture, as animal proteins, has also been highlighted.

A glimpse into plant-based fermented products alternative to animal based products: Formulation, processing, health benefits

Fermented foods and beverages are increasingly being included in the diets of people around the world, as they significantly contribute to flavor and interest in nutrition and food consumption. Plant sources, like cereals and pulses, are employed to produce vegan fermented foods that are either commercially available or the subject of ongoing scientific investigation. In addition, the inclination towards nutritionally healthy, natural, and clean-label products amongst consumers has encouraged the development of vegan fermented products alternative to animal-based products for industrial-scale production. However, as the vegan diet is more restrictive than the vegetarian diet, manufacturing food products for vegans presents a significant problem due to the limited availability of many raw materials. So further research is required on this topic. This paper aims to review the formulation, quality, microbial resources, health benefits, and safety of foods that can be categorised as vegan fermented foods and beverages.

The utility of algae as sources of high value nutritional ingredients, particularly for alternative/complementary proteins to improve human health

As the global population continues to grow, the demand for dietary protein is rapidly increasing, necessitating the exploration of sustainable and nutritious protein sources. Algae has emerged as a promising food source due to their high value ingredients such as proteins, as well as for their environmental sustainability and abundance. However, knowledge gaps surrounding dietary recommendations and food applications restrict algae's utilization as a viable protein source. This review aims to address these gaps by assessing the suitability of both microalgae and macroalgae as alternative/complementary protein sources and exploring their potential applications in food products. The first section examines the potential suitability of algae as a major food source by analyzing the composition and bioavailability of key components in algal biomass, including proteins, lipids, dietary fiber, and micronutrients. Secondly, the biological effects of algae, particularly their impact on metabolic health are investigated with an emphasis on available clinical evidence. While evidence reveals protective effects of algae on glucose and lipid homeostasis as well as anti-inflammatory properties, further research is required to understand the longer-term impact of consuming algal protein, protein isolates, and concentrates on metabolic health, including protein metabolism. The review then explores the potential of algal proteins in food applications, including ways to overcome their sensory limitations, such as their dark pigmentation, taste, and odor, in order to improve consumer acceptance. To maximize algae's potential as a valuable protein source in the food sector, future research should prioritize the production of more acceptable algal biomass and explore new advances in food sciences and technology for improved consumer acceptance. Overall, this paper supports the potential utility of algae as a sustainable and healthy ingredient source for widespread use in future food production.

Effect of Spirulina in Bread Formulated with Wheat Flours of Different Alveograph Strength

Consumers within the EU are increasingly asking for natural and healthier food products, which are additive-free and environmentally friendly. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of Spirulina (Arthrospira sp.) in bread formulated with four wheat flours with different alveograph strengths. The flours used were Manitoba Flour (00/251), Ground-force wholemeal (Whole/126), Standard Bakery Flour (0/W105), and Organic Bakery Flour (2/W66). Powdered Spirulina biomass was used as a new ingredient with a high nutritional profile and bioactive compounds; incorporation was made at two levels: 1.5% and 2.5% of the flour amount. The same bread recipe was used for all formulations, but for the 1.5 and 2.5% variations, 6 g and 10 g of Spirulina were added, respectively. Antioxidant capacity increased with increasing microalgal biomass. The visual and taste attributes of the breads with microalgae underwent noticeable changes compared to their counterparts without microalgae. Biomass addition significantly (p < 0.05) affected bread weight and volume, and different trends were found based on the type of wheat flour. Spirulina-containing breads showed a greener coloration while the microalgae concentration was augmented. The moisture and texture were slightly affected by the addition of the biomass at both levels. The 2.5% concentration samples were well accepted in most cases by consumers, emphasizing the salty flavor as a pleasant feature. No significant sensory differences were observed between samples, and the acceptability index was always higher than 72%. The results show that Spirulina could be an environmentally friendly ingredient for the reformulation of nutritionally enhanced bread with a good texture that is well-accepted by consumers.

Partitioning Recovery of Natural Pigments from Spirulina platensis

In the last few decades, the recovery of high-added value compounds with high food potential using microalgae as feedstock has been one of the main challenges for both research and industry. This study provides a simple, affordable, and cost-saving approach for the selective recovery of C-phycocyanin (C-PC), chlorophyll a and carotenoids from Spirulina platensis biomass by using biocompatible and industrially approved solvents (such as CaCl2 and ethanol). The concentration and yield of each pigment in the liquid extract have been spectrophotometrically detected, whereas the decolorized protein-rich biomass has been analyzed by CIELab parameters. The most concentrated (566.4 μg/mL) and food-grade C-PC extract (purity index 0.7) was obtained by applying a biomass/solvent ratio (1:10) for the first round of extraction (20 min), followed by a second round at 1:5 using CaCl2 1.5% (w/v) aqueous solution. Additionally, the same trial enabled the production of the brightest decolorized protein-rich biomass (L* = 46.2), characterized by a yellow-orange tonality (h° values = 81.3°).

Protein Quality and Protein Digestibility of Vegetable Creams Reformulated with Microalgae Inclusion

Microalgae are considered a valuable source of proteins that are used to enhance the nutritional value of foods. In this study, a standard vegetable cream recipe was reformulated through the addition of single-cell ingredients from Arthrospira platensis (spirulina), Chlorella vulgaris, Tetraselmis chui, or Nannochloropsis oceanica at two levels of addition (1.5% and 3.0%). The impact of microalgae species and an addition level on the amino acid profile and protein in vitro digestibility of the vegetable creams was investigated. The addition of microalgae to vegetable creams improved the protein content and the amino acid nutritional profile of vegetable creams, whereas no significant differences were observed in protein digestibility, regardless of the species and level of addition, indicating a similar degree of protein digestibility in microalgae species despite differences in their protein content and amino acid profile. This study indicates that the incorporation of microalgae is a feasible strategy to increase the protein content and nutritional quality of foods.

Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Potential of Five Algae Cultivated in Fully Controlled Closed Systems

In this study, the chemical composition and antioxidant profile of five edible macroalgae, Fucus vesiculosus, Palmaria palmata, Porphyra dioica, Ulva rigida, and Gracilaria gracilis, cultivated in fully controlled closed systems, were determined. Protein, carbohydrates, and fat contents ranged between 12.4% and 41.8%, 27.6% and 42.0%, and 0.1% and 3.4%, respectively. The tested seaweeds presented considerable amounts of Ca, Mg, K, Mn, and Fe, which reinforce their favorable nutritional profile. Regarding their polysaccharide composition, Gracilaria gracilis and Porphyra dioica were rich in sugars common to agar-producing red algae, and Fucus vesiculosus was composed mainly of uronic acids, mannose, and fucose, characteristic of alginate and fucoidans, whereas rhamnose and uronic acid, characteristic of ulvans, predominated in Ulva rigida. Comparatively, the brown F. vesiculosus clearly stood out, presenting a high polysaccharide content rich in fucoidans, and higher total phenolic content and antioxidant scavenging activity, determined by DPPH and ABTS. The remarkable potential of these marine macroalgae makes them excellent ingredients for a wide range of health, food, and industrial applications.

Microalgae, Seaweeds and Aquatic Bacteria, Archaea, and Yeasts: Sources of Carotenoids with Potential Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Health-Promoting Actions in the Sustainability Era

Carotenoids are a large group of health-promoting compounds used in many industrial sectors, such as foods, feeds, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, nutraceuticals, and colorants. Considering the global population growth and environmental challenges, it is essential to find new sustainable sources of carotenoids beyond those obtained from agriculture. This review focuses on the potential use of marine archaea, bacteria, algae, and yeast as biological factories of carotenoids. A wide variety of carotenoids, including novel ones, were identified in these organisms. The role of carotenoids in marine organisms and their potential health-promoting actions have also been discussed. Marine organisms have a great capacity to synthesize a wide variety of carotenoids, which can be obtained in a renewable manner without depleting natural resources. Thus, it is concluded that they represent a key sustainable source of carotenoids that could help Europe achieve its Green Deal and Recovery Plan. Additionally, the lack of standards, clinical studies, and toxicity analysis reduces the use of marine organisms as sources of traditional and novel carotenoids. Therefore, further research on the processing of marine organisms, the biosynthetic pathways, extraction procedures, and examination of their content is needed to increase carotenoid productivity, document their safety, and decrease costs for their industrial implementation.

A holistic approach toward development of plant-based meat alternatives through incorporation of novel microalgae-based ingredients

This study explored the changes in the physiochemical, textural, sensory, and functional characteristics of plant-based meat (PBM) after incorporating novel plant-based ingredients including spirulina (SPI), duck Weed (DW), and yellow Chlorella (YC). In the chromaticity evaluation, the YC group (YCI YC2, and YC3%) displayed significant differences (p < 0.05) in lightness (L*) indices as compared to the control. Whereas, based on concertation gradient of SPI microalgae (SP0.5, SP0.7, and SP1%) incorporated into PBM patties demonstrated that SPI 1 had the lowest values (p < 0.05) in redness (a*) and yellowness (b*) followed by SPI 0.7 and SPI 0.5% concentration, respectively. The concentration gradient of the YC group indicated that YC3 was intended to be the highest crude fat value followed by YC2 and YCI. The ash content in PBM patties increased considerably (p < 0.05) as the concentration level of microalgae advanced in all treated groups. Based on the concentration level of YC incorporated microalgae into PBM patties indicated that YC 3 had the highest (p < 0.05) gumminess and chewiness while YC 1 had the lowest reported values in terms of gumminess and chewiness. Moreover, springiness and cohesiveness showed considerable differences between SPI and YC groups. In the sensory evaluation, SPI 1 showed the lowest value only in color and appearance (p < 0.05), conversely, the other sensory parameters were non-significant among all treatment groups (p > 0.05). The micronutrient in PBM presented an irregular pattern after incorporating various ingredients. However, levels were higher (p < 0.05) in the DW group (DW 0.5 DW 0.7, and DW% 1) than those in the other groups. Moreover, the SPI and YC groups showed detectable levels of diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity with, SP 1 showing the highest level of antioxidant activity. Acknowledging the limited research on PBM production, extraction technologies, and selecting various novel suitable ingredients in meat substitutes. Hence, to fill this knowledge gap an attempt has been made to incorporate various concentrations of microalgae including SPI, YC, and DW to enhance the quality and functionality of meat alternatives. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report that describes the physiochemical, textural, sensory, and nutritional attributes of PBM incorporated with novel microalgae. Collectively these results indicate that the incorporation of SPI, DW, and YC may improve the quality of PBM without showing deleterious outcomes on the quality and functionality of the ultimate PBM products.

Delivering impactful solutions for the bioeconomy

We are increasingly challenged to operate within our planetary boundaries, while delivering on United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2030 targets, and net-zero emissions by 2050. Failure to solve these challenges risks economic, social, political, climate, food, water, and fuel security. Therefore, new, scalable, and adoptable circular economy solutions are urgently required. The ability of plants to use light, capture CO₂, and drive complex biochemistry is pivotal to delivering these solutions. However, harnessing this capability efficiently also requires robust accompanying economic, financial, market, and strategic analytics. A framework for this is presented here in the Commercialization Tourbillon. It supports the delivery of emerging plant biotechnologies and bio-inspired light-driven industry solutions within the critical 2030-2050 timeframe, to achieve validated economic, social, and environmental benefits.

Study on bioactive compounds of microalgae as antioxidants in a bibliometric analysis and visualization perspective

Natural antioxidants are more attractive than synthetic chemical oxidants because of their non-toxic and non-harmful properties. Microalgal bioactive components such as carotenoids, polysaccharides, and phenolic compounds are gaining popularity as very effective and long-lasting natural antioxidants. Few articles currently exist that analyze microalgae from a bibliometric and visualization point of view. This study used a bibliometric method based on the Web of Science Core Collection database to analyze antioxidant research on bioactive compounds in microalgae from 1996 to 2022. According to cluster analysis, the most studied areas are the effectiveness, the antioxidant mechanism, and use of bioactive substances in microalgae, such as carotene, astaxanthin, and tocopherols, in the fields of food, cosmetics, and medicine. Using keyword co-occurrence and keyword mutation analysis, future trends are predicted to improve extraction rates and stability by altering the environment of microalgae cultures or mixing extracts with chemicals such as nanoparticles for commercial and industrial applications. These findings can help researchers identify trends and resources to build impactful investigations and expand scientific frontiers.

Proteomics Reveals Damaging Effect of Alpha-Cypermethrin Exposure in a Non-Target Freshwater Microalga Chlorella sp. NC-MKM

Alpha-cypermethrin, a pyrethroid pesticide, is frequently used on crops to prevent insect attacks. However, occasionally, due to drift, leaching, or with rainwater, it enters the aquatic environment and poses a serious threat to the growth of non-target aquatic organisms. In the current study, we were interested in investigating the damaging effect of alpha-cypermethrin on a local freshwater non-target green alga Chlorella sp. NC-MKM in terms of its protein levels. This was achieved by exposing Chlorella sp. NC-MKM to an EC₅₀ concentration of alpha-cypermethrin for 1 day, followed by the two-dimensional (2-D) gel electrophoresis and MALDI-TOF MS. Fifty-three proteins, which had showed significant differential accumulation (> 1.5 fold, P < 0.05) after exposure to alpha-cypermethrin, were considered as differentially accumulated proteins (DAPs). These DAPs were further divided into several functional categories, and the expressions of each in control and treatment samples were compared. Comparison revealed that alpha-cypermethrin exposure affects the accumulation of proteins related with photosynthesis, stress response, carbohydrate metabolism, signal transduction and transporters, translation, transcription, cell division, lipid metabolism, amino acid and nucleotide biosynthesis, secondary metabolites production, and post-translational modification, and thus rendered the tested algal isolate sensitive toward this pesticide. The overall findings of this research thus offer a fundamental understanding of the possible mechanism of action of the insecticide alpha-cypermethrin on the microalga Chlorella sp. NC-MKM and also suggest potential biomarkers for the investigation of pesticide exposed microalgae.

Alternative Protein Sources and Novel Foods: Benefits, Food Applications and Safety Issues

The increasing size of the human population and the shortage of highly valuable proteinaceous ingredients has prompted the international community to scout for new, sustainable, and natural protein resources from invertebrates (e.g., insects) and underutilized legume crops, unexploited terrestrial and aquatic weeds, and fungi. Insect proteins are known for their nutritional value, being rich in proteins with a good balance of essential amino acids and being a valuable source of essential fatty acids and trace elements. Unconventional legume crops were found rich in nutritional, phytochemical, and therapeutic properties, showing excellent abilities to survive extreme environmental conditions. This review evaluates the recent state of underutilized legume crops, aquatic weeds, fungi, and insects intended as alternative protein sources, from ingredient production to their incorporation in food products, including their food formulations and the functional characteristics of alternative plant-based proteins and edible insect proteins as novel foods. Emphasis is also placed on safety issues due to the presence of anti-nutritional factors and allergenic proteins in insects and/or underutilized legumes. The functional and biological activities of protein hydrolysates from different protein sources are reviewed, along with bioactive peptides displaying antihypertensive, antioxidant, antidiabetic, and/or antimicrobial activity. Due to the healthy properties of these foods for the high abundance of bioactive peptides and phytochemicals, more consumers are expected to turn to vegetarianism or veganism in the future, and the increasing demand for such products will be a challenge for the future.

Altering autotrophic carbon metabolism of Nitzschia closterium to mixotrophic mode for high-value product improvement

An adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE) strategy was designed to evolve autotrophic Nitzschia closterium to mixotrophic growth for high productivity of essential amino acid (EAA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and fucoxanthin. The N. closterium growth was limited under glucose initially, but a red light emitting diode was innovatively applied to modify carbon metabolism and obtain mixotrophic strain of N. closterium GM. The N. closterium GM biomass concentration was improved by 65.07% comparing with wild type, but exhibited weak photosynthesis and strong glucose metabolism. At carbon metabolism levels, ALE promoted NADPH oxidase activity and induced protein degradation to lipid biosynthesis by elevating acetyl-CoA and pyruvate contents. It also improved carbon flux to TCA cycle, and elevated contents of glucose-6-phosphate, fructose-6-phosphate, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate for providing sufficient ATP and NADPH. Productivities of EPA, EAA and fucoxanthin were increased by 41.0%, 18.8% and 20.4%, respectively. This ALE strategy was promising in microalgal production of high-value products.

Dietary Application of the Microalga Lobosphaera incisa P127 Reduces Severity of Intestinal Inflammation, Modulates Gut-Associated Gene Expression, and Microbiome in the Zebrafish Model of IBD

SCOPE

Microalgae are an emerging nutritional resource of biomolecules with potential to alleviate gut inflammation. The study explores the anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory potential of the microalga Lobosphaera incisa P127, which accumulates a rare omega-6 LC-PUFA dihomo-ɣ-linolenic acid (DGLA) under nitrogen starvation. The therapeutic potential of dietary supplementation with P127 is investigated in the zebrafish model of IBD (TNBS-induced colitis).

METHODS AND RESULTS

Guts are sampled from zebrafish fed experimental diets for 4 weeks, before and 24 h after TNBS challenge. Diets containing 15% non-starved (Ns) and 7.5% and 15% N-starved (St) algal biomass significantly attenuate the severity of gut injury and goblet cell depletion. In contrast, diets containing 7.5% Ns and DGLA ethyl ester have no effect on gut condition. Fish fed 15% St, high-DGLA biomass, have the fewest individuals with pathological alterations in the gut. Dietary inclusion of Ns and St distinctly modulates gut-associated expression of the immune and inflammatory genes. Fish fed 15% Ns biomass display a coordinated boost in immune gene expression and show major changes in the gut microbiome prior challenge.

CONCLUSION

Dietary inclusion of L. incisa biomass at two physiological states, ameliorates TNBS-induced gut inflammation, suggesting the synergistic beneficial effects of biomass components not limited to DGLA.

Meat substitutes: Resource demands and environmental footprints

The modern food system is characterized with high environmental impact, which is in many cases associated with increased rates of animal production and overconsumption. The adoption of alternatives to meat proteins (insects, plants, mycoprotein, microalgae, cultured meat, etc.) might potentially influence the environmental impact and human health in a positive or negative way but could also trigger indirect impacts with higher consumption rates. Current review provides a condensed analysis on potential environmental impacts, resource consumption rates and unintended trade-offs associated with integration of alternative proteins in complex global food system in the form of meat substitutes. We focus on emissions of greenhouse gases, land use, non-renewable energy use and water footprint highlighted for both ingredients used for meat substitutes and ready products. The benefits and limitations of meat substitution are highlighted in relation to a weight and protein content. The analysis of the recent research literature allowed us to define issues, that require the attention of future studies.

Microalgae protein digestibility: How to crack open the black box?

Microalgae are booming as a sustainable protein source for human nutrition and animal feed. Nevertheless, certain strains were reported to have robust cell walls limiting protein digestibility. There are several disruption approaches to break down the cell integrity and increase digestive enzyme accessibility. This review's intent is to discuss the digestibility of microalgae proteins in intact cells and after their disruption. In intact single cells, the extent of protein digestibility is chiefly related to cell wall structural properties (differing among strains) as well as digestion method and when added to food or feed protein digestibility changes depending on the matrix's composition. The degree of effectiveness of the disruption method varies among studies, and it is complicated to compare them due to variabilities in digestibility models, strains, disruption method/conditions and their consequent impact on the microalgae cell structure. More exhaustive studies are still required to fill knowledge gaps on the structure of microalgal cell walls and to find efficient and cost-effective disruption technologies to increase proteins availability without hindering their quality.

Development of a Fermented Beverage with Chlorella vulgaris Powder on Soybean-Based Fermented Beverage

The area of functional beverages made from plant-based or non-dairy milk is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the world. The microalgae Chlorella vulgaris is a source of functional ingredients, with a large spectrum of healthy compounds, such as canthaxanthins, astaxanthins, peptides, and oleic acid. The study aimed to investigate the suitability of C. vulgaris biomass as a substrate for Lactobacillus fermentum and Lactobacillus rhamnosus development and fermentation in vegetal soy beverages and to evaluate the fermented product in terms of bacterial viability, antioxidant capacity, and in vitro bio-accessibility. During fermentation, a bacterial concentration of 8.74 log10 CFU/mL was found in the soy beverage with C. vulgaris and L. rhamnosus, and 8.71 log10 CFU/mL in beverage with C. vulgaris and L. fermentum. Polyphenol content and dietary antioxidant capacity significantly improved after fermentation soy drinks. On the other hand, through the digestibility of the beverages, the bacterial viability significantly decreased. To comprehend the components responsible for the efficient delivery of bacteria across the gastrointestinal tract, further investigation is required on probiotic encapsulation methods.

Chlamydomonas reinhardtii: A Factory of Nutraceutical and Food Supplements for Human Health

Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (C. reinhardtii) is one of the most well-studied microalgae organisms that revealed important information for the photosynthetic and metabolic processes of plants and eukaryotes. Numerous extensive studies have also underpinned its great potential as a biochemical factory, capable of producing various highly desired molecules with a direct impact on human health and longevity. Polysaccharides, lipids, functional proteins, pigments, hormones, vaccines, and antibodies are among the valuable biomolecules that are produced spontaneously or under well-defined conditions by C. reinhardtii and can be directly linked to human nutrition and diet. The aim of this review is to highlight the recent advances in the field focusing on the most relevant applications related to the production of important biomolecules for human health that are also linked with human nutrition and diet. The limitations and challenges are critically discussed along with the potential future applications of C. reinhardtii biomass and processed products in the field of nutraceuticals and food supplements. The increasing need for high-value and low-cost biomolecules produced in an environmentally and economy sustainable manner also underline the important role of C. reinhardtii.

Developing algae as a sustainable food source

Current agricultural and food production practices are facing extreme stress, posed by climate change and an ever-increasing human population. The pressure to feed nearly 8 billion people while maintaining a minimal impact on the environment has prompted a movement toward new, more sustainable food sources. For thousands of years, both the macro (seaweed and kelp) and micro (unicellular) forms of algae have been cultivated as a food source. Algae have evolved to be highly efficient at resource utilization and have proven to be a viable source of nutritious biomass that could address many of the current food production issues. Particularly for microalgae, studies of their large-scale growth and cultivation come from the biofuel industry; however, this knowledge can be reasonably translated into the production of algae-based food products. The ability of algae to sequester CO₂ lends to its sustainability by helping to reduce the carbon footprint of its production. Additionally, algae can be produced on non-arable land using non-potable water (including brackish or seawater), which allows them to complement rather than compete with traditional agriculture. Algae inherently have the desired qualities of a sustainable food source because they produce highly digestible proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates, and are rich in essential fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. Although algae have yet to be fully domesticated as food sources, a variety of cultivation and breeding tools exist that can be built upon to allow for the increased productivity and enhanced nutritional and organoleptic qualities that will be required to bring algae to mainstream utilization. Here we will focus on microalgae and cyanobacteria to highlight the current advancements that will expand the variety of algae-based nutritional sources, as well as outline various challenges between current biomass production and large-scale economic algae production for the food market.

Microalgal bioactive metabolites as promising implements in nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals: inspiring therapy for health benefits

The rapid increase in global population and shrinkage of agricultural land necessitates the use of cost-effective renewable sources as alternative to excessive resource-demanding agricultural crops. Microalgae seem to be a potential substitute as it rapidly produces large biomass that can serve as a good source of various functional ingredients that are not produced/synthesized inside the human body and high-value nonessential bioactive compounds. Microalgae-derived bioactive metabolites possess various bioactivities including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-carcinogenic, anti-hypertensive, anti-lipidemic, and anti-diabetic activities, thereof rapidly elevating their demand as interesting option in pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals and functional foods industries for developing new products. However, their utilization in these sectors has been limited. This demands more research to explore the functionality of microalgae derived functional ingredients. Therefore, in this review, we intended to furnish up-to-date knowledge on prospects of bioactive metabolites from microalgae, their bioactivities related to health, the process of microalgae cultivation and harvesting, extraction and purification of bioactive metabolites, role as dietary supplements or functional food, their commercial applications in nutritional and pharmaceutical industries and the challenges in this area of research.

Graphical abstract

Metaproteomic Analysis of an Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Dataset Suggests Diagnostic Potential of the Mycobiome

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common head and neck malignancy, with an estimated 5-year survival rate of only 40-50%, largely due to late detection and diagnosis. Emerging evidence suggests that the human microbiome may be implicated in OSCC, with oral microbiome studies putatively identifying relevant bacterial species. As the impact of other microbial organisms, such as fungi and viruses, has largely been neglected, a bioinformatic approach utilizing the Trans-Proteomic Pipeline (TPP) and the R statistical programming language was implemented here to investigate not only bacteria, but also viruses and fungi in the context of a publicly available, OSCC, mass spectrometry (MS) dataset. Overall viral, bacterial, and fungal composition was inferred in control and OSCC patient tissue from protein data, with a range of proteins observed to be differentially enriched between healthy and OSCC conditions, of which the fungal protein profile presented as the best potential discriminator of OSCC within the analysed dataset. While the current project sheds new light on the fungal and viral spheres of the oral microbiome in cancer in silico, further research will be required to validate these findings in an experimental setting.

Dietary exposure to heavy metals and iodine intake via consumption of seaweeds and halophytes in the European population

EFSA assessed the relevance of seaweed and halophyte consumption to the dietary exposure to heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury) and the iodine intake in the European population. Based on sampling years 2011-2021, there were 2,093 analytical data available on cadmium, 1,988 on lead, 1,934 on total arsenic, 920 on inorganic arsenic (iAs), 1,499 on total mercury and 1,002 on iodine. A total of 697 eating occasions on halophytes, seaweeds and seaweed-related products were identified in the EFSA Comprehensive European Food Consumption Database (468 subjects, 19 European countries). From seaweed consumption, exposure estimates for cadmium in adult 'consumers only' are within the range of previous exposure estimates considering the whole diet, while for iAs and lead the exposure estimates represent between 10% and 30% of previous exposures from the whole diet for the adult population. Seaweeds were also identified as important sources of total arsenic that mainly refers, with some exceptions, to organic arsenic. As regards iodine, from seaweed consumption, mean intakes above 20 μg/kg body weight per day were identified among 'consumers only' of Kombu and Laver algae. The impact of a future increase in seaweed consumption ('per capita') on the dietary exposure to heavy metals and on iodine intake will strongly depend on the seaweeds consumed. The exposure estimates of heavy metals and iodine intakes in 'consumers only' of seaweeds were similar to those estimated in a replacement scenario with selected seaweed-based foods in the whole population. These results underline the relevance of the current consumption of seaweeds in the overall exposure to different heavy metals and in the intake of iodine. Recommendations are provided for further work needed on different areas to better understand the relationship between seaweed consumption and exposure to heavy metals and iodine intake.

Perspective: Multiomics and Machine Learning Help Unleash the Alternative Food Potential of Microalgae

Food security has become a pressing issue in the modern world. The ever-increasing world population, ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and political conflicts together with climate change issues make the problem very challenging. Therefore, fundamental changes to the current food system and new sources of alternative food are required. Recently, the exploration of alternative food sources has been supported by numerous governmental and research organizations, as well as by small and large commercial ventures. Microalgae are gaining momentum as an effective source of alternative laboratory-based nutritional proteins as they are easy to grow under variable environmental conditions, with the added advantage of absorbing carbon dioxide. Despite their attractiveness, the utilization of microalgae faces several practical limitations. Here, we discuss both the potential and challenges of microalgae in food sustainability and their possible long-term contribution to the circular economy of converting food waste into feed via modern methods. We also argue that systems biology and artificial intelligence can play a role in overcoming some of the challenges and limitations; through data-guided metabolic flux optimization, and by systematically increasing the growth of the microalgae strains without negative outcomes, such as toxicity. This requires microalgae databases rich in omics data and further developments on its mining and analytics methods.

Bioprospecting microbes and enzymes for the production of pterocarpans and coumestans

The isoflavonoid derivatives, pterocarpans and coumestans, are explored for multiple clinical applications as osteo-regenerative, neuroprotective and anti-cancer agents. The use of plant-based systems to produce isoflavonoid derivatives is limited due to cost, scalability, and sustainability constraints. Microbial cell factories overcome these limitations in which model organisms such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae offer an efficient platform to produce isoflavonoids. Bioprospecting microbes and enzymes can provide an array of tools to enhance the production of these molecules. Other microbes that naturally produce isoflavonoids present a novel alternative as production chassis and as a source of novel enzymes. Enzyme bioprospecting allows the complete identification of the pterocarpans and coumestans biosynthetic pathway, and the selection of the best enzymes based on activity and docking parameters. These enzymes consolidate an improved biosynthetic pathway for microbial-based production systems. In this review, we report the state-of-the-art for the production of key pterocarpans and coumestans, describing the enzymes already identified and the current gaps. We report available databases and tools for microbial bioprospecting to select the best production chassis. We propose the use of a holistic and multidisciplinary bioprospecting approach as the first step to identify the biosynthetic gaps, select the best microbial chassis, and increase productivity. We propose the use of microalgal species as microbial cell factories to produce pterocarpans and coumestans. The application of bioprospecting tools provides an exciting field to produce plant compounds such as isoflavonoid derivatives, efficiently and sustainably.

Microalgae in Terms of Biomedical Technology: Probiotics, Prebiotics, and Metabiotics

Green, red, brown, and diatomic algae, as well as cyanobacteria, have been in the focus of attention of scientists and technologists for over 5 decades. This is due to their importance as efficient and economical producers of food additives, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, biofertilizers, biofuels, and wastewater bioremediation agents. Recently, the role of microalgae has increasingly been considered in terms of their probiotic function, i.e., of their ability to normalize the functioning of the microbiota of humans and agricultural animals and to produce biologically active substances, including hormones, neurotransmitters, and immunostimulators. A separate brief subsection of the review deals with the potential functions of microalgae with respect to the brain and psyche, i.e., as psychobiotics. Moreover, algal polysaccharides and some other compounds can be broken down to short fragments that will stimulate the development of useful intestinal microorganisms, i.e., function as efficient prebiotics. Finally, many components of microalgal cells and chemical agents produced by them can exert important health-promoting effects per se, which indicates that they are as potentially valuable metabiotics (the term preferred by late Prof. B.A. Shenderov), which are alternatively denoted as postbiotics in the literature.