Microalgae for the Food Industry: From Biomass Production to the Development of Functional Foods

Abstract

The human population is expected to reach 9.5 billion people by 2050. Feeding this expanded population presents the enormous challenge of doubling food production. This is an enormous challenge, not only because of technological limitations, but also because this production increase must be carried out whilst increasing the sustainability of current processes and protecting biodiversity. Food production is a major driver of biodiversity loss, land usage and the depletion of water resources. Microalgae are shown to be one of the pillars of the future sustainable production of food. At the beginning of the 21st century, microalgal biomass was suggested as a possible source of biofuels; this, together with the high oil prices we are currently experiencing, triggered large investments in microalgal biotechnology. Unfortunately, the lipid yields of real processes are far behind the predictions of theoretical values, but the huge investments made during the last two decades ignited the development of microalgae-based processes with different goals. These include wastewater treatment, CO2 capture, and the production of aquafeeds and valuable agricultural products such as biostimulants. However, some challenges still need to be overcome. Significant investments and high operational costs limit the utilisation of microalgal biomass to niche markets, where the high cost of the product compensates for high production costs. These include food supplements and functional foods, which are well accepted by consumers and have a market share that is increasing every year.