Algal biomass as a food and feed supplement: Process engineering analysis | Functional Foods in Health and Disease - Online ISSN: 2160-3855; Print ISSN: 2378-7007 Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer Open Menu Functional Foods in Health and Disease - Online ISSN: 2160-3855; Print ISSN: 2378-7007 Home Food Science Publisher Functional Food Center Current Archives About About the Journal Aims and Scope Contact Editing Services Editorial Team Express Peer Review Graphical Abstract Journal Insights Privacy Statement Submissions Announcements Search Search Register Login Home / Archives / Vol. 15 No. 7 (2025): July 2025 / Research Articles Algal biomass as a food and feed supplement: Process engineering analysis Authors Baghish Harutyunyan Gunnar Mühlstädt Leander Seibel Gerd Hilpmann Angelina Sayadyan Ani Aghabekyan Anna Zakoyan Gayane Khachatryan Ruzanna Hovhannisyan Tamara Stepanyan Seda Harutyunyan Vigen Goginyan DOI: https://doi.org/10.31989/ffhd.v15i7.1662 Abstract Background: The global market for algae-based food and feed supplements is well-established and growing rapidly. The sector has grown fivefold since 2000. While microalgae products still hold a modest market share, the large-scale commercial production of microalgae as a primary source of proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and other compounds remains in its early developmental stages. If successfully mass-produced, microalgae could make a significant contribution to global food and feed security. Objective: The study aims to compare the potential of selected algal strains as sustainable sources of high-value biomass for food and feed using a low-cost, solvent-free analytical method based on Near-infrared spectroscopy. Methods: Green unicellular microalgae Chlorella vulgaris Pa-023, Neochloris oleoabundans Pa-022, and cyanobacterium Limnospira maxima Pc-02 were selected and cultivated in bubble column photobioreactors using nitrogen-rich media under LED illumination with red and blue light spectrums. Near-infrared spectroscopy was applied as a non-destructive method to monitor protein, lipid, and carbohydrate content during cultivation. Results: Quantitative analysis revealed distinct biochemical profiles among C. vulgaris, N. oleoabundans, and L. maxima, with protein contents of 49.2, 40.0, and 59.0 g/100 g dry weight, respectively. L. maxima showed the highest protein content, while N. oleoabundans had the highest lipid content (26.0 g/100 g dry weight), suggesting their suitability for protein-rich products and lipid-based applications. A cost-efficiency assessment of L. maxima cultivation in a 100-L photobioreactor (PUEVIT GmbH, Germany) yielded 98 g dry biomass in 7 days, with production costs estimated at €43.56. Novelty: The study uniquely integrates comparative biochemical profiling of algal and cyanobacterial biomass with a cost-efficiency analysis of semi-industrial biomass production. Key innovations include: (i) species-specific application potential; (ii) the first techno-economic assessment of L. maxima cultivation in a controlled photobioreactor; (iii) a practical demonstration of economically viable microalgal biomass production. Conclusion: Near-infrared spectroscopy has proven to be an effective method for non-destructive biomass analysis. However, improving model accuracy requires a broader calibration set with well-characterized standards. Expanding this dataset will enhance the predictive power and reliability of the method. Keywords: algae, high-value biomass, NIR spectrophotometry, food and feed supplement, cost-efficiency. Downloads [Abstract] [Full Article] Published 2025-07-15 Issue Vol. 15 No. 7 (2025): July 2025 Section Research Articles License Copyright (c) 2025 Functional Foods in Health and Disease This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Authors retain the copyright of their articles and grant the Functional Food Center (FFC) and its journals the right of first publication under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, including commercial use, provided the original author(s) and source are properly credited. Authors may post and share their published work freely, provided that the original publication in this journal is acknowledged. By submitting to this journal, authors confirm that their manuscripts are original, not under consideration elsewhere, and that they hold the necessary rights to grant this license. The Functional Food Center encourages open scientific exchange and allows derivative and extended works, provided attribution to the original publication is maintained. About the Journal      Editing Services      Graphical Abstract      Journal Insights        Submissions        Editorial Team       Privacy Statement        Contact        Current        Archives   Open Journal Systems Hosting and Support by: OpenJournalSystems.com