The Power of Microalgae: Sustainable Solutions for Food, Feed, and Fragrance

Innovations in Microalgae Production

EU-funded researchers are working on scaling up the sustainable production of microalgae-based proteins, lipids, pigments, and carbohydrates. These compounds have the potential to transform industries such as food, animal feed, and fragrances globally. The initiative is part of a broader effort to address food security and environmental sustainability through innovative agricultural practices.

On the outskirts of Lisbon, an abandoned industrial site has been repurposed into a state-of-the-art biorefinery. This facility is focused on producing microalgae, which are single-celled organisms capable of generating valuable compounds with minimal water usage and no need for arable land. This makes them an attractive alternative to traditional agricultural products like palm oil or soybeans.

Despite their potential, there are challenges in growing and processing microalgae at a scale and cost that can compete with conventional nutritional products. The Lisbon site, part of an EU-funded research collaboration called MULTI-STR3AM, may offer a solution. The project brought together a multinational team of researchers and industry experts to tackle these challenges head-on.

Mariana Doria, head of business and market analysis at Portuguese biotechnology company A4F – Algae for Future, coordinated the international collaboration, which ran from 2020 to April 2025. She emphasized that microalgae can be cultivated in areas not suitable for agriculture, helping to reduce pressure on land and water resources.

Agriculture currently uses almost 40% of land in the EU and a quarter of its water. Separating food production from land is essential for improving food security and creating a more sustainable food industry. The MULTI-STR3AM project was funded by the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking, a public-private partnership between the EU and the Bio-based Industries Consortium. This initiative supports research aimed at transitioning toward a competitive, sustainable, and low-carbon economy in Europe.

Rebecca van der Westen, senior product technologist at Flora Food Group, a Dutch branded food company active in over 100 countries, noted that the world and agriculture are changing. “How do we sustain ourselves in a healthy way? Microalgae are one of the answers,” she said. Van der Westen seized the opportunity to collaborate with international researchers, emphasizing her passion for niche areas where innovation thrives.

Microalgae require water, CO2, and essential nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus to grow. Through their metabolic processes, they convert these nutrients into glucose and other organic molecules. Most microalgae grow through photosynthesis, which requires sunlight, but some can grow in the dark using organic nutrients.

In the MULTI-STR3AM project, microalgae are cultivated in photobioreactors or fermentation tanks. Once they have grown sufficiently, their biomass is harvested and processed at the Lisbon biorefinery. The cells are broken open, and their valuable components—proteins, lipids, pigments, and carbohydrates—are separated and refined into usable ingredients.

The facility processes around 10 tonnes of biomass per year and is designed to handle a wide range of microalgae strains. To enhance sustainability, waste CO2 from natural gas combustion is used as a resource for microalgae. Liquid waste from nearby industries serves as the culture medium, and water is recirculated after biomass is harvested.

Finally, the processed ingredients are supplied to various industries for use in consumer products. As the researchers overcame technical barriers, their advances opened the door to a diverse range of potential products. Over the course of the research, more than 40 samples of microalgae-derived ingredients were created for industry partners in the food, animal feed, and fragrance sectors.

Cross-collaboration across countries and sectors was crucial to ensuring that the ingredients could eventually be used in consumer-ready products, according to van der Westen. “Cross-collaboration is fundamental because everybody has their strengths.”

After considering technical and financial viability, as well as market potential, the research team narrowed their focus down to three core ingredients: beta-carotene-rich oils used as food colorants and antioxidants in spreads and cheese, protein-rich additives for animal feed, and protein-based capsules that protect and gradually release fragrance ingredients.

Van der Westen aims to dispel the common misconception that microalgae-based ingredients taste like algae. The ingredients are not simply ground-up biomass; instead, the cells are opened and their molecular structures are separated. “They contain the same fats as olive oil and similar proteins to poultry, fish, and beef,” she said.

Integrating multiple technologies, microalgae strains, and production methods into one centralized biorefinery was a major step toward scaling up. However, developing a deeper understanding of each microalgae strain was equally important. Some microalgae are better known and easier to scale up, while others still require further study.

Part of this work involves determining the ideal growth conditions for each strain, including temperature and nutrient levels, so they can grow faster and yield the most nutritional value. This knowledge also helps scientists steer production towards specific outputs. “We can adjust conditions to make them produce more of one ingredient or another, depending on our goals,” said Doria.

Currently, these new ingredients are undergoing rigorous testing and tasting before they can reach supermarket shelves. While this work is still in the early stages, van der Westen is confident that microalgal ingredients will eventually become mainstream. “Microalgae are definitely going to be part of our food in the future. That’s just a question of time.”

For van der Westen and her research team, their work is part of a mission to reimagine how we produce food sustainably and develop a concrete blueprint for the future. “If you want to sustain a happy planet, you need to do this type of research. It is fundamental for the future.”