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Panchal SK, Heimann K, Brown L. Improving Undernutrition with Microalgae. Nutrients 2024; 16:3223. [PMID: 39339823 PMCID: PMC11435262 DOI: 10.3390/nu16183223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2024] [Revised: 09/15/2024] [Accepted: 09/18/2024] [Indexed: 09/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Undernutrition is an important global health problem, especially in children and older adults. Both reversal of maternal and child undernutrition and heathy ageing have become United Nations-supported global initiatives, leading to increased attention to nutritional interventions targeting undernutrition. One feasible option is microalgae, the precursor of all terrestrial plants. Most commercially farmed microalgae are photosynthetic single-celled organisms producing organic carbon compounds and oxygen. This review will discuss commercial opportunities to grow microalgae. Microalgae produce lipids (including omega-3 fatty acids), proteins, carbohydrates, pigments and micronutrients and so can provide a suitable and underutilised alternative for addressing undernutrition. The health benefits of nutrients derived from microalgae have been identified, and thus they are suitable candidates for addressing nutritional issues globally. This review will discuss the potential benefits of microalgae-derived nutrients and opportunities for microalgae to be converted into food products. The advantages of microalgae cultivation include that it does not need arable land or pesticides. Additionally, most species of microalgae are still unexplored, presenting options for further development. Further, the usefulness of microalgae for other purposes such as bioremediation and biofuels will increase the knowledge of these microorganisms, allowing the development of more efficient production of these microalgae as nutritional interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunil K Panchal
- School of Science, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW 2753, Australia
| | - Kirsten Heimann
- College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Health Science Building, Building 4, Registry Road, Bedford Park, Adelaide, SA 5042, Australia
| | - Lindsay Brown
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD 4222, Australia
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Zhu J, Xiao X, Du W, Cai Y, Yang Z, Yin Y, Wakisaka M, Wang J, Zhou Z, Liu D, Fang W. Leveraging microalgae as a sustainable ingredient for meat analogues. Food Chem 2024; 450:139360. [PMID: 38640528 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.139360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
As the world's population and income levels continue to rise, there is a substantial increase in the demand for meat, which poses significant environmental challenges due to large-scale livestock production. This review explores the potential of microalgae as a sustainable protein source for meat analogues. The nutritional composition, functional properties, and environmental advantages of microalgae are analyzed. Additionally, current obstacles to large-scale microalgal food production are addressed, such as strain development, contamination risks, water usage, and downstream processing. The challenges associated with creating meat-like textures and flavors using techniques like extrusion and emulsion formation with microalgae are also examined. Lastly, considerations related to consumer acceptance, marketing, and regulation are summarized. By focusing on improvements in cultivation, structure, sensory attributes, and affordability, microalgae demonstrate promise as a transformative and eco-friendly protein source to enhance the next generation of meat alternatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangyu Zhu
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, No. 196 Huayang West Road, Hanjiang District, Yangzhou 225127, China.
| | - Xue Xiao
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, No. 196 Huayang West Road, Hanjiang District, Yangzhou 225127, China
| | - Weihua Du
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, No. 196 Huayang West Road, Hanjiang District, Yangzhou 225127, China
| | - Yifei Cai
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, No. 196 Huayang West Road, Hanjiang District, Yangzhou 225127, China
| | - Zhengfei Yang
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, No. 196 Huayang West Road, Hanjiang District, Yangzhou 225127, China
| | - Yongqi Yin
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, No. 196 Huayang West Road, Hanjiang District, Yangzhou 225127, China
| | - Minato Wakisaka
- Food Study Centre, Fukuoka Women's University, 1-1-1 Kasumigaoka, Fukuoka 813-8529, Japan
| | - Jiangxin Wang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresource and Eco-environmental Science, Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Marine Algal Biotechnology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Plant Epigenetics, Longhua Innovation Institute for Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Zixin Zhou
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, No. 196 Huayang West Road, Hanjiang District, Yangzhou 225127, China
| | - Dongqin Liu
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, No. 196 Huayang West Road, Hanjiang District, Yangzhou 225127, China
| | - Weiming Fang
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, No. 196 Huayang West Road, Hanjiang District, Yangzhou 225127, China
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Lihanová D, Lukáčová A, Beck T, Jedlička A, Vešelényiová D, Krajčovič J, Vesteg M. Versatile biotechnological applications of Euglena gracilis. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2023; 39:133. [PMID: 36959517 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-023-03585-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/25/2023]
Abstract
Euglena gracilis is a freshwater protist possessing secondary chloroplasts of green algal origin. Various physical factors (e.g. UV) and chemical compounds (e.g. antibiotics) cause the bleaching of E. gracilis cells-the loss of plastid genes leading to the permanent inability to photosynthesize. Bleaching can be prevented by antimutagens (i.e. lignin, vitamin C and selenium). Besides screening the mutagenic and antimutagenic activity of chemicals, E. gracilis is also a suitable model for studying the biological effects of many organic pollutants. Due to its capability of heavy metal sequestration, it can be used for bioremediation. E. gracilis has been successfully transformed, offering the possibility of genetic modifications for synthesizing compounds of biotechnological interest. The novel design of the "next generation" transgenic expression cassettes with respect to the specificities of euglenid gene expression is proposed. Moreover, E. gracilis is a natural source of commercially relevant bioproducts such as (pro)vitamins, wax esters, polyunsaturated fatty acids and paramylon (β-1,3-glucan). One of the highest limitations of large-scale cultivation of E. gracilis is its disability to synthesize essential vitamins B1 and B12. This disadvantage can be overcome by co-cultivation of E. gracilis with other microorganisms, which can synthesize sufficient amounts of these vitamins. Such co-cultures can be used for the effective accumulation and harvesting of Euglena biomass by bioflocculation.
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Grants
- VEGA 1/0694/2021 Scientific Grant Agency of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic, and the Academy of Sciences
- VEGA 1/0694/2021 Scientific Grant Agency of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic, and the Academy of Sciences
- VEGA 1/0694/2021 Scientific Grant Agency of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic, and the Academy of Sciences
- VEGA 1/0694/2021 Scientific Grant Agency of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic, and the Academy of Sciences
- VEGA 1/0694/2021 Scientific Grant Agency of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic, and the Academy of Sciences
- VEGA 1/0694/2021 Scientific Grant Agency of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic, and the Academy of Sciences
- VEGA 1/0694/2021 Scientific Grant Agency of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic, and the Academy of Sciences
- ITMS 26210120024 European Regional Development Fund
- ITMS 26210120024 European Regional Development Fund
- ITMS 26210120024 European Regional Development Fund
- ITMS 26210120024 European Regional Development Fund
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Lihanová
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Matej Bel University, Tajovského 40, 974 01, Banská Bystrica, Slovakia
| | - Alexandra Lukáčová
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Matej Bel University, Tajovského 40, 974 01, Banská Bystrica, Slovakia
| | - Terézia Beck
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Matej Bel University, Tajovského 40, 974 01, Banská Bystrica, Slovakia
| | - Andrej Jedlička
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius, 917 01, Trnava, Slovakia
| | - Dominika Vešelényiová
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius, 917 01, Trnava, Slovakia
| | - Juraj Krajčovič
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius, 917 01, Trnava, Slovakia
| | - Matej Vesteg
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Matej Bel University, Tajovského 40, 974 01, Banská Bystrica, Slovakia.
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Mykhalevych A, Polishchuk G, Nassar K, Osmak T, Buniowska-Olejnik M. β-Glucan as a Techno-Functional Ingredient in Dairy and Milk-Based Products-A Review. Molecules 2022; 27:6313. [PMID: 36234850 PMCID: PMC9573285 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27196313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The article systematizes information about the sources of β-glucan, its technological functions and practical aspects of its use in dairy and milk-based products. According to the analysis of scientific information, the main characteristics of β-glucan classifications were considered: the source of origin, chemical structure, and methods of obtention. It has been established that the most popular in the food technology of dairy products are β-glucans from oat and barley cereal, which exhibit pronounced technological functions in the composition of dairy products (gel formation, high moisture-binding capacity, increased yield of finished products, formation of texture, and original sensory indicators). The expediency of using β-glucan from yeast and mushrooms as a source of biologically active substances that ensure the functional orientation of the finished product has been revealed. For the first time, information on the use of β-glucan of various origins in the most common groups of dairy and milk-based products has been systematized. The analytical review has scientific and practical significance for scientists and specialists in the field of food production, in particular dairy products of increased nutritional value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artur Mykhalevych
- Department of Milk and Dairy Products Technology, National University of Food Technologies, Volodymyrska St. 68, 01033 Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Galyna Polishchuk
- Department of Milk and Dairy Products Technology, National University of Food Technologies, Volodymyrska St. 68, 01033 Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Khaled Nassar
- Faculty of Agriculture, Damanhour University, Damanhour 22516, Egypt
| | - Tetiana Osmak
- Department of Milk and Dairy Products Technology, National University of Food Technologies, Volodymyrska St. 68, 01033 Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Magdalena Buniowska-Olejnik
- Department of Dairy Technology, Institute of Food Technology and Nutrition, University of Rzeszow, Ćwiklinskiej 2D St., 35601 Rzeszow, Poland
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