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Microalgae Proteins as Sustainable Ingredients in Novel Foods: Recent Developments and Challenges
Open accessAbstract
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.
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![Figure 2 Comparative graph representing the protein content of conventional animal-, fungal-, and plant-based foods and different microalgae species. Adapted from [13,27,28,29,30].](/paper-figures/4b647f4ecaf44f348c05351e96290306/microalgae-proteins-as-sustainable-ingredients-in-novel-foods-recent-figure-2.jpg)
![Figure 3 Steps involved in the production of proteins and bioactive compounds from microalgae [4].](/paper-figures/e454a6634c7045888c6a7f67f7a7c703/microalgae-proteins-as-sustainable-ingredients-in-novel-foods-recent-figure-3.jpg)
![Figure 4 Detection of the isoelectric point of the soluble extract of Arthrospira platensis [71].](/paper-figures/80360aa9bba24c50a483ea7d8083a768/microalgae-proteins-as-sustainable-ingredients-in-novel-foods-recent-figure-4.jpg)
![Figure 5 Gelation of water-soluble proteins extracted from C. sorokiniana at different protein concentrations (A = Tset = 80 °C for 10 min), and different Tset (B = protein concentration 9.9 g/100 mL) taken from [64].](/paper-figures/7a84d6a95c24408aa3822ccc13c3f029/microalgae-proteins-as-sustainable-ingredients-in-novel-foods-recent-figure-5.jpg)
![Figure 6 (A) Change in volume of bread dough prepared with different concentrations of Chlorella vulgaris, after 1 h of fermentation at 37 °C. (B) Farinograph analysis of control bread (without C. vulgaris) and bread produced with 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 g C. vulgaris/100 g WF (B) taken from [102].](/paper-figures/3568320f877341818fc2f810699ebcda/microalgae-proteins-as-sustainable-ingredients-in-novel-foods-recent-figure-6.jpg)
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“species like Spirulina and Chlorella offering up to 70% protein by dry weight and a complete amino acid profile, alongside their richness in essential fatty acids (notably omega-3 and omega-6 PUFAs); a wide spectrum of vitamins (A, B complex, C, E, and K); minerals (e.g., iron, magnesium, and zinc); and antioxidant compounds such as carotenoids and phycobiliproteins [56,90,121,122,123].”
From Microalgae Bioactives for Functional Food Innovation and Health Promotion (2025) · cites this paper as [121]
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“They can be grown on non-arable land and utilise non-potable or saline water, thereby avoiding competition with traditional crops for critical resources [121,124].”
From Microalgae Bioactives for Functional Food Innovation and Health Promotion (2025) · cites this paper as [121]
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“Incorporating microalgae as an ingredient in formulations increases protein content, provides peptides and bioactive pigments, and improves water retention and texture properties in bakery and dairy matrices (Verni et al., 2023; Mosibo et al., 2024).”
From Microalgae biotechnology and its role in sustainable and healthy food design (2025) · cites this paper as Mosibo et al., 2024
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“Efficient cultivation, cost-effective harvesting, and the preservation of nutritional integrity during processing remain major technical challenges [104,121].”
From Microalgae Bioactives for Functional Food Innovation and Health Promotion (2025) · cites this paper as [121]
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Citations
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Metadata
- Authors
- Mosibo, O. K., Ferrentino, G., & Udenigwe, C. C.
- Affiliations
- University of Ottawa (CA)
- Free University of Bozen-Bolzano (IT)
- Corresponding author
- Ferrentino, Giovanna
- Venue
- Foods
- Publisher
- MDPI AG
- Published
- 2024-02-28
- Volume
- 13
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 733
- ISSN
- 2304-8158 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC10930894
- OpenAlex
- W4392232297
- Cited by
- 140
- References
- 146
- Citations by year
- 2026: 60 · 2025: 59 · 2024: 21
- FWCI
- 2.92
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Foods (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Open Research (University of Surrey) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
- Open Research (University of Surrey) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Funders
- Open Access Publishing Fund of the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Energy › Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment › Algal biology and biofuel production
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Food Industry and Aquatic Biology
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Food Nutrient Composition and Product Development
- Keywords
- microalgal proteins, novel foods, sustainable food ingredients, essential amino acids, nutritional value, functional properties, microalgae cultivation, consumer acceptance, commercialization challenges
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