Global demand for macroalgal and microalgal foods is growing, and algae are increasingly being consumed for functional benefits beyond the traditional considerations of nutrition and health. There is substantial evidence for the health benefits of algal-derived food products, but there remain considerable challenges in quantifying these benefits, as well as possible adverse effects. First, there is a limited understanding of nutritional composition across algal species, geographical regions, and seasons, all of which can substantially affect their dietary value. The second issue is quantifying which fractions of algal foods are bioavailable to humans, and which factors influence how food constituents are released, ranging from food preparation through genetic differentiation in the gut microbiome. Third is understanding how algal nutritional and functional constituents interact in human metabolism. Superimposed considerations are the effects of harvesting, storage, and food processing techniques that can dramatically influence the potential nutritive value of algal-derived foods. We highlight this rapidly advancing area of algal science with a particular focus on the key research required to assess better the health benefits of an alga or algal product. There are rich opportunities for phycologists in this emerging field, requiring exciting new experimental and collaborative approaches.

https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2Fs10811-016-0974-5.pdf

Algae as nutritional and functional food sources: revisiting our understanding

The marine environment represents a relatively untapped source of functional ingredients that can be applied to various aspects of food processing, storage, and fortification. Moreover, numerous marine-based compounds have been identified as having diverse biological activities, with some reported to interfere with the pathogenesis of diseases. Bioactive peptides isolated from fish protein hydrolysates as well as algal fucans, galactans and alginates have been shown to possess anticoagulant, anticancer and hypocholesterolemic activities. Additionally, fish oils and marine bacteria are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids, while crustaceans and seaweeds contain powerful antioxidants such as carotenoids and phenolic compounds. On the basis of their bioactive properties, this review focuses on the potential use of marine-derived compounds as functional food ingredients for health maintenance and the prevention of chronic diseases.

https://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/9/6/1056/pdf

Marine Bioactives as Functional Food Ingredients: Potential to Reduce the Incidence of Chronic Diseases

The seasonal chemical profiling of kelp species has historically either being carried out on only a single species or the data dates back over 60 years. This research highlights a detailed chemical composition profile of the four kelp species Laminaria digitata, Laminaria hyperborea, Saccharina latissima and Alaria esculenta over a 14-month period. These kelp species were selected due to their identified potential for cultivation. They were chemically characterised to identify seasonal variations and predict best harvest times. Components of interest included the carbohydrates cellulose, laminarin, alginate and mannitol as well as proteins, ash, metals, moisture, polyphenolics, total carbon and nitrogen content. The highest yields of lamianrin and mannitol coincided with the lowest yields in ash, protein, moisture and polyphenols. The implications of these observations for use of kelp species as a fermentation substrate are discussed.

The seasonal variation in the chemical composition of the kelp species Laminaria digitata, Laminaria hyperborea, Saccharina latissima and Alaria esculenta

Felix Nwosu

Papers

Anti-proliferative and potential anti-diabetic effects of phenolic-rich extracts from edible marine algae