Microalgal nutraceuticals: unravelling solution to food-health nexus

Since the industrial revolution, the consumption of processed foods has skyrocketed incredibly. Many of the inherent characteristics of food are lost during that process. Thus, an alternative source of natural carotenoids must be identified to get over these challenges and meet the demand. In light of food and health security concerns, microalgal carotenoids have been proposed as a prospective source of natural and safe components that may contribute to a good quality of life as dietary additives and supplements. Owing to its broad usage, nutraceuticals have gained great demand on the global market. They have been positioned as a novelty food or ingredient because of their high content of bioactive and functional carotenoids. There is a wealth of information on the possible health benefits of carotenoids. They have diverse biological role that leads to therapeutic benefits like neuroprotective, anticancer, immunomodulators, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and anti-diabetic properties. Also, microalgae-based carotenoid production has recently gained attention because of scalable potential of cultivation in varying conditions with high yield in less time. This review highlights the synthesis of nutraceutical biomolecules from microalgae, their physiological significance, large-scale synthesis of microalgal biomass, up- and downstream processing, commercial uses, and the therapeutic properties of the nutraceuticals derived from microalgae.

Automated summary

Since the industrial revolution, there has been a significant increase in the consumption of processed foods, leading to the loss of many inherent food characteristics. To overcome these challenges and meet the demand, an alternative source of natural carotenoids must be identified. Microalgal carotenoids have been proposed as a potential source of safe and natural components, which can contribute to a good quality of life as dietary additives and supplements. Nutraceuticals, due to their high content of bioactive and functional carotenoids, have gained great demand on the global market and are positioned as a novelty food or ingredient. There is a wealth of information on the health benefits of carotenoids, which have diverse biological roles that provide therapeutic benefits such as neuroprotection, anticancer properties, immune modulation, anti-inflammatory effects, antibacterial activity, and anti-diabetic properties. The cultivation of microalgae for carotenoid production has also gained attention due to its scalable potential and high yield in less time. This review focuses on the synthesis of nutraceutical biomolecules from microalgae, their physiological significance, large-scale biomass synthesis, up- and downstream processing, commercial uses, and the therapeutic properties of microalgae-derived nutraceuticals.