Key Challenges for the Commercial Expansion of Ingredients from Algae into Human Food Products

A combination of high costs, regulatory complexity, and consumer perception makes it difficult to include microalgae on a large scale in conventional diets.

“a combination of high costs, regulatory complexity, and consumer perception positions microalgae at an ambiguous borundary between food and medicinal applications—especially in encapsulated or nutraceutical forms—making it difficult to include them on a large-scale in conventional diets (Guil-Guerrero and Prates, 2025; Hosseinkhani et al., 2022).”

Arthrospira platensis and Chlorella vulgaris are natural sources of protein, whereas Dunaliella salina and Haematococcus pluvialis are considered natural sources of pigment (β-carotene and astaxanthin, respectively).

“Arthrospira platensis and Chlorella vulgaris have been highlighted as natural sources of protein, whereas Dunaliella salina and Haematococcus pluvialis are considered natural sources of pigment (especially because of their content of β-carotene and astaxanthin, respectively) [19,20,22].”

Microalgae are unicellular photosynthetic microorganisms capable of converting solar energy into biochemical energy and biomass containing useful substances for health, food and feed additives, cosmetics, and energy generation.

“Microalgae are unicellular photosynthetic microorganisms capable of converting solar energy into biochemical energy [18] and biomass containing a variety of useful substances for health, food and feed additives, cosmetics, and energy generation [19,20].”

Microalgae contain nutrient-rich bioactive compounds such as protein, essential amino acids, sulfated polysaccharides, enzymes, fibers, lipids, carotenoids, and vitamins.

“Microalgae contain nutrient-rich bioactive compounds such as protein, essential amino acids, sulfated polysaccharides, enzymes, fibers, lipids, carotenoids, and vitamins [19,20,21,22].”

Chlorella vulgaris is a green microalga that might be exploited as a food source.

“Chlorella vulgaris is a green microalga that might be exploited as a food source [19,20].”

Due to their valuable chemical composition, microalgae have several commercial applications today, including increasing the nutritional value of food and animal feed, playing an essential role in aquaculture, and the manufacturing of cosmetics.

“Due to their valuable chemical composition, microalgae have several commercial applications today, including (i) increasing the nutritional value of food and animal feed, (ii) playing an essential role in aquaculture, and (iii) the manufacturing of cosmetics [19,79,80].”

Several microalgae, such as Arthrospira platensis, Chlorella vulgaris, and Dunaliella bardawil, are examples of GRAS-approved microalgae.

“Several microalgae, such as Arthrospira platensis, Chlorella vulgaris, and Dunaliella bardawil, are examples of GRAS-approved microalgae [19,20,86].”

Spirulina and Chlorella are approved and the most widely consumed microalgae, and their entire biomass can be used in culinary products and marketed directly to consumers in European countries.

“Spirulina and Chlorella are approved and the most widely consumed microalgae, and their entire biomass can be used in culinary products and marketed directly to consumers in European countries [19,20].”

According to the FDA, dietary sources of PUFAs such as EPA and DHA reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

“According to the FDA, dietary sources of PUFAs such as EPA and DHA reduce the risk of coronary heart disease [19,20].”

The composition of Arthrospira and the health benefits associated with consuming Arthrospira indicate that it has the potential to become a significant food and to be employed as an ingredient in the development of functional foods in the future.

“The composition of Arthrospira, as well as the health benefits associated with consuming Arthrospira (or compounds derived from it), indicate that it has the potential to become a significant food and to be employed as an ingredient in the development of functional foods in the future [19,20,86].”

Microalgae can be an extremely intriguing natural source of novel chemicals with biological activity that might enable them to be exploited as functional components.

“Microalgae can be an extremely intriguing natural source of novel chemicals with biological activity that might be enable them to be exploited as functional components [19,36,83,84].”

Arthrospira platensis has been used to develop functional food products because it contains proteins, unsaturated fats, B vitamins, minerals, and phycocyanin.

“Arthrospira platensis has been utilized to develop functional food products because it contains proteins, unsaturated fats, the B vitamin group, several minerals, and phycocyanin [19,36,121].”

It is easier to include microalgae in baked items such as bread, cookies, and pasta than in other dietary items such as yogurt.

“In terms of food type, it is easier to include microalgae in baked items such as bread, cookies, and pasta than other dietary items, such as yogurt [19,20].”

Consumers' ability to tolerate taste of microalgae-based foods is a factor in acceptance.

“Consumers’ ability to tolerate the taste of microalgae-based foods is one such factor [19,20].”

Consumers believed the product was better for their health, and because of this, they were willing to pay a higher price for it.

“Consumers believed that the product was better for their health, and because of this, they were willing to pay a higher price for it.”