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Microalgae in Food Systems: From Cultivation to Application
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Microalgae in Food Systems: From Cultivation to Application

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 November 2025 | Viewed by 12234

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jiangyu Zhu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Food Science and Enginnering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225000, China
Interests: applied microbiology; food packaging and shelf life; meat analogues
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Minato Wakisaka

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Food Study Centre, Fukuoka Women's University, 1-1-1 Kasumigaoka, Fukuoka 813-8529, Japan
Interests: algae; antioxidants; biopolymer; fermentation; food waste; microalgae; phytochemicals; phenolic compounds; polysaccharides; seaweed

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As sustainable and nutrient-dense ingredients, microalgae offer immense potential to address global food security and nutrition challenges. We welcome contributions that focus on innovative cultivation techniques, harvesting methods, and processing technologies for edible microalgae. Of particular interest are studies that investigate the incorporation of microalgal biomass into various food products, their effects on nutritional composition, their functional properties, and consumer acceptance.

We also encourage submissions on the use of microalgae in developing novel food products, such as meat analogues and fortified foods. Additionally, research on the scalability and economic feasibility of microalgae-based food production is highly relevant. This Special Issue will provide a comprehensive overview of the current state and future directions of microalgae in food systems, bridging the gap between fundamental research and practical applications in the food industry.

Dr. Jiangyu Zhu
Prof. Dr. Minato Wakisaka
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • microalgae cultivation
  • nutritional profiling
  • bioavailability
  • novel food products
  • sensory evaluation

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 759 KiB  
Article
Use of Enriched Mine Water to Grow the Cyanobacterium Arthrospira platensis in Photobioreactors
by Massimo Milia, Valeria Andreotti, Angelica Giglioli, Viviana Pasquini, Pierantonio Addis and Alberto Angioni
Foods 2025, 14(10), 1665; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14101665 - 8 May 2025
Viewed by 279
Abstract
The demand for sustainable and high-nutritional food sources is forcing the industrial sector to find alternatives to animal proteins. Microalgae and macroalgae showed remarkable protein and bioactive compound content, offering a promising solution for the food industry. However, the high production cost represents [...] Read more.
The demand for sustainable and high-nutritional food sources is forcing the industrial sector to find alternatives to animal proteins. Microalgae and macroalgae showed remarkable protein and bioactive compound content, offering a promising solution for the food industry. However, the high production cost represents the main concern related to microalgae development. Thus, strategies that can reduce production costs, preserve the environment, and improve the nutritional characteristics of microalgae are required. Exploiting water from dismissed mines could lead to energy savings in production by opening new industrial opportunities to produce microalgae. Arthrospira platensis (Spirulina) can be grown in open ponds and photobioreactors; the composition of the growth medium and the light radiation could affect its biochemical composition. This work investigated the influence of mine water with the addition of Zarrouk growth medium on the biochemical composition of the final dried Spirulina. The trials were performed in vertical tubular photobioreactors (PBRs) exposed to the same light radiance. Samples were compared with standard growing conditions using distilled water with the addition of Zarrouk medium. Spirulina strains showed good tolerance to medium/high concentrations of Cl−, SO42− and nitrogen in mine water. The experiment lasted 12 days, showing significant differences in protein, lipids, and carbohydrates between trials. Spirulina grown in mine water showed higher protein levels, 52.64 ± 2.51 g·100 g−1 dry weight. On the other hand, Spirulina grown in distilled water had higher lipids and carbohydrate levels, accounting for 9.22 ± 1.01 and 31.72 ± 1.57 g·100 g−1 dry weight. At the end of the experiment, both trials showed similar growth and pigment concentration. The availability of a high amount of mine water at no cost and at the ideal temperature for Spirulina cultivation increases environmental sustainability and reduces production costs. The results in terms of biomass were comparable to those of standard cultivation, whereas proteins showed higher values. Moreover, coupling renewable energy sources can further reduce production costs, with promising industrial and market developments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microalgae in Food Systems: From Cultivation to Application)
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19 pages, 1106 KiB  
Article
Development of Vegetable Creams Enriched with Different Microalgae Species: A Study on the Physicochemical and Sensory Stability over Time
by Fabio Fanari, Josep Comaposada, Teresa Aymerich, Anna Claret, Luis Guerrero and Massimo Castellari
Foods 2025, 14(7), 1230; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14071230 - 31 Mar 2025
Viewed by 348
Abstract
Vegetable creams are a popular food with sensory characteristics (intense color, smooth texture, rich flavor) suitable for the inclusion of microalgae ingredients. Limited examples of vegetable creams reformulation with microalgae are reported in the literature, and no research has focused on their stability. [...] Read more.
Vegetable creams are a popular food with sensory characteristics (intense color, smooth texture, rich flavor) suitable for the inclusion of microalgae ingredients. Limited examples of vegetable creams reformulation with microalgae are reported in the literature, and no research has focused on their stability. This study evaluates the quality parameters of heat-treated, high-protein vegetable creams formulated with Spirulina, Tetraselmis chui, and four different Chlorella vulgaris strains over an 8-month period. The investigation examines changes in physicochemical properties (color, moisture, consistency, pH, °Brix, syneresis), microbiological parameters, and sensory profile. Physicochemical results showed enhanced homogenization effects of microalgae, suggesting valuable technological applications. The sensory analysis highlights a general enhancement of umami and salty perception, with differences depending on the species considered. Yellow chlorellas were the least impactful in terms of flavor but require further investigation regarding their pronounced color influence. Tetraselmis chui altered the most the sensory profile with a strong fishy and shellfish flavor. Over time, color variation deserves attention since slight browning phenomena, with possible negative effects on consumer perception, were observed. Regarding sensory aspects, limited and no detrimental effects were detected over time in texture, taste, and smell. No adverse impact on shelf life was observed, suggesting applications in long-term storage foods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microalgae in Food Systems: From Cultivation to Application)
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14 pages, 1745 KiB  
Article
Comparative Analysis of Pretreatment Methods for Fruit Waste Valorization in Euglena gracilis Cultivation: Impacts on Biomass, β-1,3-Glucan Production, and Photosynthetic Efficiency
by Jiangyu Zhu, Xinyue Guo, Kaile Zhao, Xinyu Chen, Xinxin Zhao, Zhengfei Yang, Yongqi Yin, Minato Wakisaka and Weiming Fang
Foods 2024, 13(21), 3439; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13213439 - 28 Oct 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1994
Abstract
This study explored the sustainable valorization of fruit waste extracts from sugarcane bagasse (SB), banana peel (BP), and watermelon rind (WR) for Euglena gracilis biomass and β-1,3-glucan production. The extracts were prepared using water extraction (WE), high-temperature and pressure treatment (HTP), and dilute [...] Read more.
This study explored the sustainable valorization of fruit waste extracts from sugarcane bagasse (SB), banana peel (BP), and watermelon rind (WR) for Euglena gracilis biomass and β-1,3-glucan production. The extracts were prepared using water extraction (WE), high-temperature and pressure treatment (HTP), and dilute sulfuric acid treatment (DSA). The DSA-treated extracts consistently yielded the best results. E. gracilis cultured in SB-DSA showed the highest cell density with a 2.08-fold increase compared to the commercial HUT medium, followed by BP-DSA (1.35-fold) and WR-DSA (1.70-fold). Photosynthetic pigment production increased significantly, with chlorophyll a yield being highest in SB-DSA (1.90-fold increase). The chlorophyll a/b ratio and total carotenoid content also improved, indicating enhanced light-harvesting capacity and photoprotection. Photosynthetic efficiency, measured by chlorophyll fluorescence, notably improved. The maximum quantum yield of PSII (Fv/Fm) increased by up to 25.88% in SB-DSA, suggesting reduced stress and improved overall photosynthetic health. The potential photochemical efficiency (Fv/F0) showed even greater improvements: up to 40.53% in SB-DSA. Cell morphology analysis revealed larger cell aspect ratios, implying a more active cellular physiological state. β-1,3-glucan yield also increased by 23.99%, 12.92%, and 23.38% in SB-DSA, BP-DSA, and WR-DSA, respectively. This study demonstrates the potential of pretreated fruit waste as a cost-effective and sustainable medium for E. gracilis cultivation, offering the dual benefits of waste valorization and high-value compound production. These findings contribute to the development of more efficient biorefinery processes and align with the circular economy principles in food biotechnology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microalgae in Food Systems: From Cultivation to Application)
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Review

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26 pages, 361 KiB  
Review
Marine Microalgae–Microorganism Co-Cultures: An Insight into Nannochloropsis sp. Use and Biotechnological Applications
by Marta Vala Esteves, Diana M. C. Marques, Joana D. de Almeida, Nuno Torres Faria and Frederico Castelo Ferreira
Foods 2025, 14(9), 1522; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14091522 - 26 Apr 2025
Viewed by 529
Abstract
The increasing demand for sustainable, economical, and environmentally friendly solutions has positioned microalgae as promising candidates in biotechnology, particularly in food, feed, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, biofuel, and bioremediation applications. This review explores the role of the Nannochloropsis genus and other marine oleaginous microalgae in [...] Read more.
The increasing demand for sustainable, economical, and environmentally friendly solutions has positioned microalgae as promising candidates in biotechnology, particularly in food, feed, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, biofuel, and bioremediation applications. This review explores the role of the Nannochloropsis genus and other marine oleaginous microalgae in co-cultivation systems, highlighting their mechanisms of interaction with various microorganisms and their potential for various biotechnological purposes. Case studies of Nannochloropsis sp. co-cultures with other microalgae, bacteria, and fungi are presented. The different types of associations are described as alternative strategies to enhance biomass productivity, lipid accumulation, and nutrient recycling. A key focus of this review is the potential of Nannochloropsis microalgae co-cultivation in food, as it is part of the list of microalgae to be approved for consumption in the European Union, discussing their rich nutritional value, safety, and regulatory status. Additionally, the role of microalgae in the alternative protein sector is explored, with particular emphasis on their integration in cultivated meat products as nutrient suppliers and metabolic partners for animal cells. Despite their potential, several challenges, such as scale-up, contamination risk, and strain selection, remain key obstacles to the widespread adoption of microalgal biotechnology. Future research should focus on optimizing microalgae-based co-cultures for food applications, addressing safety concerns, and further investigating their integration into functional foods and cellular agriculture products. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microalgae in Food Systems: From Cultivation to Application)
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17 pages, 974 KiB  
Review
Chemical Composition, Bioactivities, and Applications of Spirulina (Limnospira platensis) in Food, Feed, and Medicine
by Maria P. Spínola, Ana R. Mendes and José A. M. Prates
Foods 2024, 13(22), 3656; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13223656 - 17 Nov 2024
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 8420
Abstract
Spirulina (Limnospira platensis) is a microalga recognised for its rich nutritional composition and diverse bioactive compounds, making it a valuable functional food, feed, and therapeutic agent. This review examines spirulina’s chemical composition, including its high levels of protein, essential fatty acids, [...] Read more.
Spirulina (Limnospira platensis) is a microalga recognised for its rich nutritional composition and diverse bioactive compounds, making it a valuable functional food, feed, and therapeutic agent. This review examines spirulina’s chemical composition, including its high levels of protein, essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds, such as the phycocyanin pigment, polysaccharides, and carotenoids, in food, feed, and medicine. These compounds exhibit various biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antiviral, anticancer, antidiabetic and lipid-lowering effects. Spirulina’s potential to mitigate oxidative stress, enhance immune function, and inhibit tumour growth positions it as a promising candidate for preventing chronic diseases. Additionally, spirulina is gaining interest in the animal feed sector as a promotor of growth performance, improving immune responses and increasing resistance to diseases in livestock, poultry, and aquaculture. Despite its well-documented health benefits, future research is needed to optimize production/cultivation methods, improve its bioavailability, and validate its efficacy (dose–effect relationship) and safety through clinical trials and large-scale human trials. This review underscores the potential of spirulina to address global health and nutrition challenges, supporting its continued application in food, feed, and medicine. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microalgae in Food Systems: From Cultivation to Application)
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