Microalgae in Foods: From Whole Biomass to High-Value Ingredients for Nutritious, Bioactive, and Sustainable Products

Microalgae are a diverse group of photosynthetic microorganisms whose rapid productivity and minimal land and water requirements make them highly attractive for food applications. They offer exceptional compositional versatility, providing high-quality proteins with valuable amino acid profiles, beneficial long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (notably EPA and DHA omega-3s, and GLA omega-6s), carotenoids, phycobiliproteins, bioactive polysaccharides and dietary fibres, natural pigments and antioxidants, and essential micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals. Beyond nutrition, microalgae exhibit significant techno-functional properties—including emulsification, gelling, coloring, texturizing, and preservation—that align with current clean-label trends. The rising demand for alternative proteins, combined with technological advances in cultivation and biorefinery processes, has accelerated microalgae-based food innovation. However, broader adoption is limited by sensory challenges (color, flavor, mouthfeel), processing costs, and stringent safety and regulatory requirements. This Research Topic aims to provide an integrated platform for translating the promising biological properties of microalgae into stable, safe, and consumer-acceptable food products.

The primary goal of this Topic is to consolidate and advance the scientific evidence and tools essential for accelerating the transition of microalgae from laboratory research to commercial food applications. Specifically, we seek to increase or gain new knowledge on: (i) identification of strains and cultivation strategies that yield consistent, food-grade biomass at economically viable production costs; (ii) processing of microalgal biomass into ingredients—such as oils, concentrates, flours, and purified fractions—using gentle, scalable, and sustainable methodologies; (iii) incorporation of both whole biomass and its fractions into existing foods and design novel products with superior nutritional, bioactive, and sensory profiles; and (iv) safety, quality, and regulatory compliance throughout the supply chain. We encourage research studies aimed at improving the bio accessibility and bioavailability of microalgal nutrients, developing effective strategies to mitigate off-flavors, color, or texture issues, and providing quantitative assessments of stability and shelf life in real food matrices. Recent advances in controlled-environment cultivation, heterotrophic production, green extraction, fermentation, advanced cell disruption, and encapsulation, as well as life cycle and techno-economic assessments, offer timely opportunities to overcome technical barriers and demonstrate market-ready solutions for the food industry.

We welcome studies covering the entire spectrum from ingredient discovery to finished food products, focusing on both microalgal compounds and whole-biomass applications. Interdisciplinary work linking food science, process engineering, nutrition, toxicology, consumer science, sustainability, and regulation is encouraged. Topics of interest include:

- Whole-biomass versus fractionated-ingredient use (composition, functionality, and performance in food matrices)

- Processing strategies (cultivation, harvest, fractionation, green extraction, fermentation, cell disruption, encapsulation for stability and delivery)

- Nutritional quality and health relevance (proteins, lipids—including but not limited to omega-3s—fibers, pigments: bio accessibility/bioavailability and digestion models)

- Sensory optimization and consumer acceptance (flavor and color mitigation, texture design, labelling, willingness-to-try)

- Safety, quality, and scalability (contaminants, allergens, shelf life, standards, regulatory pathways, and life-cycle and techno-economic analyses within a circular bioeconomy).