Research Progress on the Nutritional Properties of Microalgae and Their Applications in Food

Abstract

Microalgae are rich in nutrients and bioactive substances, which can provide nutrients to the human body and have functions such as antioxidant, antibacterial, and immunomodulation. Microalgae are receiving more and more attention as a potential new source of food ingredients. However, the application of microalgae in food is still immature. This paper reviews the physiological active functions of polysaccharides, proteins, unsaturated fatty acids, pigments and other bioactive substances in microalgae, summarizes the current status of the application of microalgae in meat foods, pasta, additives and functional foods. At the end of the article, the existing problems and challenges, such as microalgae with special odor, complex processing, insufficient experimental data, etc., are systematically elaborated, and the outlook and suggestions are put forward to express the confidence in the development of microalgae as a novel raw material in the food industry. The whole article aims to provide theoretical references for the development of microalgae food and the exploration of new food resources.