Cited by 19Seaweed-derived Bioactive CompoundsProtein Hydrolysis and Bioactive PeptidesFood Industry and Aquatic Biology

Algal proteins for sustainable nutrition and functional food innovation

Open access
Saeed, Fatima, Tul Zohra, Khadija, Naveed, Kinza, Zia, Aneeqa, Khaliq, Muniba, Noor, Zahra, Khaliq, Kashaf, Ali, Muhammad Asif·2025·Applied Food Research

Abstract

• Nutritional composition and comparative benefits of algal vs. plant-based proteins. • Health benefits and disease prevention with algal proteins. • Techniques for extracting peptides from algae. • Current Industrial applications and research on algal protein products. • Therapeutic potential of algal proteins in pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals. In the search for sustainable and nutritious food sources, algal proteins have emerged as a promising option. Algal proteins present a high-protein alternative, with algae offering a rich nutritional profile packed with vitamins, minerals, bioactive compounds, and dietary fibers. This review provides an in-depth exploration of algal proteins' potential as functional food ingredients, highlighting their health benefits, including cardiovascular support, metabolic health, weight management, and antioxidant properties. Their functional properties, such as emulsifying, foaming and gelling capabilities make them versatile for use in food applications. The growing acceptance of algal proteins among consumers is revealed through current market trends and applications. This review also addresses the challenges in utilizing algal proteins, such as technological, regulatory, and consumer issues like taste and odor aversion, and suggests strategies for overcoming these obstacles through innovative formulation approaches. However, continued research and advancements are required to fully utilize the potential of algal proteins in functional foods. In conclusion, algal proteins are a promising sustainable functional food ingredient, with implications for both the food industry and consumer health. Incorporating algal proteins into food products addresses sustainability concerns while providing nutritional advantages, paving the way for a greener and healthier food future.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1016/j.afres.2025.100752

Cites

199 of 199 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Recomputing p-values needs the paper’s full text.

Claims the paper makes

We couldn’t retrieve this paper’s full text, so its claims and self-check weren’t run. The registry and citation checks still apply.

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

  • Microalgae are a high-value raw material for food, nutraceutical, and beverage industries, with market potential for plant-based meat analogues, fortified dairy alternatives, and functional beverages.

    “recognizing microalgae as a high-value raw material for the food, nutraceutical, and beverage industries highlights its market potential, particularly for applications such as plant-based meat analogues, fortified dairy alternatives, and functional beverages (Saeed et al., 2025).”

    From Microalgae biotechnology and its role in sustainable and healthy food design (2025) · cites this paper as Saeed et al., 2025

  • Protein hydrolysates and algal peptides often have strong flavors, marine-like odors, or unfamiliar colors, which can negatively affect consumer perception, especially in regions where algae are not traditionally consumed.

    “Protein hydrolysates and algal peptides often have strong flavors, marine-like odors, or unfamiliar colors, which can negatively affect consumer perception, especially in regions where algae are not traditionally consumed [201,206].”
  • The dual role of algal proteins as both bioactive and techno-functional agents, serving as emulsifiers, gelling agents, and stabilizers, broadens their utility in modern food systems.

    “Simultaneously, the dual role of algal proteins as both bioactive and techno-functional agents, serving as emulsifiers, gelling agents, and stabilizers, broadens their utility in modern food systems [141,201].”

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

1 of the 200 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Saeed, F., Tul Zohra, K., Naveed, K., Zia, A., Khaliq, M., Noor, Z., Khaliq, K., & Ali, M. A.
Affiliations
University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (PK)
Corresponding author
Khaliq, Muniba
Venue
Applied Food Research
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2025-06
Volume
5
Issue
1
Pages
100752
ISSN
2772-5022 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W4407924425
Cited by
19
References
200
Citations by year
2026: 12 · 2025: 7
FWCI
14.77
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Applied Food Research (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Aquatic Science › Seaweed-derived Bioactive Compounds
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Protein Hydrolysis and Bioactive Peptides
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Food Industry and Aquatic Biology
Keywords
algal proteins, functional food ingredients, sustainable nutrition, cardiovascular health, metabolic health, weight management, antioxidant activity, nutraceuticals, pharmaceutical applications, consumer acceptance

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review