Over the last years, algae production and utilization have received increased attention due to the current global challenges. Fermentation is one of the oldest preservation methods utilized to improve food’s stability and organoleptic properties. Both micro- and macroalgal strains have gained attention as fermentation substrates for second-generation biofuels. However, algae are also considered sources of various bioactive or high-added value molecules that can be used for food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical applications. Interestingly, fermentation can increase the nutritional value of a product by producing primary and secondary metabolites from the fermenting microorganisms. It also enables the release of bioactive substances or the transformation of the substrate into added-value products. In the last decade, some studies have shown that algal fermentation can lead to products/extracts with enhanced bioactivity. Recent reviews highlight that algal fermentation can be the seed for a new fermentation industry of food and other related products due to algae’s extraordinary biodiversity and potential. Nevertheless, current industrial and consumer demands necessitate increasingly complex properties of developed products, which often are impossible without encapsulation. Even though many reports underline various encapsulation strategies to enhance stability and sensorial properties and create products with controlled release, studies focusing on the encapsulation of algal extracts, or especially their combinations with probiotic bacteria, are scarce. This study aims to develop efficient fermentation and encapsulation processes to produce functional fermented micro and macroalgae extracts, tailored for nutraceutical and oral health care applications. Our ambition is to unravel the great potential of algae and encapsulation technologies to deliver formulations that meet current industrial demands bringing Lithuania to the spearhead of this nascent industry.
Project funding:
Projects funded by the Research Council of Lithuania (RCL), Projects carried out by researchers’ teams
Project results:
5 articles in in periodic scientific journals with impact factor in the Clarivate Analytics Web of Science database. Project result presentation in 3 scientific conferences. Dissemination of the intended project results to the general public: presentation of fermented micro/macro algae or their product prototypes in TECHNORAMA events, public lectures in the “Researchers’ Night” events, article for general public and webinar to the stakeholders.
Period of project implementation: 2023-04-01 - 2026-01-31
Project coordinator: Kaunas University of Technology
