Microalgae: potential novel protein for sustainable human nutrition

Abstract

To support a global population of ~10 billion people in 2050, dietary protein demand is forecast to increase 32–78% compared to 2017, requiring significantly higher planetary resources. Microalgae are an attractive sustainable protein source compared with current plant and animal sources. Benefits include mass scalability, low CO₂ emissions, and significantly reduced land and freshwater use per unit protein. Microalgae are already used as food products and numerous species exhibit high total protein contents and well-balanced essential amino acid (EAA) compositions for human dietary requirements. Microalgae proteins are also bioavailable for human digestion, and downstream processing steps are likely to further enhance protein digestibility. Species, cultivation, and process/product optimisation are actively being developed to enhance their nutritional, social, and environmental benefits.