Potential of Microalgae for Protein Production

Microalgae are an important source of bioactive compounds, especially due to their high protein content. The production of bioactive compounds depends on multiple factors – from their location within the microalgae to their future uses. Several factors influence the growth of microalgae and the formation of proteins within them, especially the characteristics of the culture medium (pH, salinity, nutrients) and the operating conditions (light, temperature, reactor type). Certain combinations of these parameters favor protein production at the expense of other compounds. Once microalgae with a determined protein content have been cultivated and harvested, it is necessary to extract and separate the proteins by different methods aimed at breaking the cell wall (extraction process) and isolate proteins from other undesired compounds (separation and purification process). Finally, there is a wide range of potential applications for microalgae extracted proteins in the food science field or in products with techno functional properties, especially feeding and nutraceuticals.