Algae to become alternative protein frontrunner

We need to address the growing demand for meat while also ensuring that our food is sustainably sourced, which means we need food that tastes exactly like meat but does not burden the environment. The rapidly evolving landscape of plant-based meat and cultivated meat, produced directly via cell culture of animal cells, provides delicious and nutritious alternatives to conventional meat to consumers.

In India companies like Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods, and Eat Just Inc are fast becoming household names in the plant-based sector by sheer dint of their technological innovation in product development, the amount of capital raised and the consumers they have managed to reach. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg as there is a whole new generation of products waiting to be discovered that could be made not only from plant-based and cultivated proteins but also other protein sources like microalgae, seaweed, yeast, fungi, etc.

Algae to save the day

Algae, which includes microalgae and seaweed, have gained a lot of attention in the recent decade. Though microalgae were explored intensively for biofuel applications, they are now being explored as sources of proteins and oils like omega 3 fatty acids. Also, seaweed was brought to the limelight recently when the Bezos Earth Fund awarded $100 million to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to mitigate climate change, and ‘developing new markets for seaweed’ was identified as a key focus area. The seaweed sector is gaining traction in the Indian ecosystem as well.

The Indian Union Government has recently thrown its weight behind the seaweed industry as an employment generator particularly for local coastal communities. As part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat relief package, Rs 637 crores have been allocated for seaweed cultivation under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) to be spent over the next five years as subsidy support. While wild harvesting of seaweed in India contributes to less than 1 per cent of global seaweed production, India has the potential to become a leader in seaweed production with its 8100 km long coastline holding rich biodiversity of seaweeds. In the case of microalgae, most production activities are led by small and medium-sized enterprises along with geographically sporadic local production by farmers. Spirulina is the most commonly grown species of microalgae and is sold as a nutraceutical product either in the form of supplements or to fortify commonly consumed snacks like chikkis in rural India. 

Lucrative alternative protein space

Developing end market products is crucial to uptake the supply as it builds up with greater availability of algal biomass. Algae-derived products like carrageenan, alginates, agar, and oils have been commonly used in food applications for decades. The development of new applications from algal biomass is still in its infancy as a majority of companies globally are focused on bringing down the cost of commercial production. 

Using algae-derived proteins as ingredients in alternative meat, egg, dairy, and seafood products is an upcoming application and several companies are actively working in this space. Triton Algae Innovations Ltd., based out of the US, is one such company focused on producing heme from non-genetically modified Chlamydomonas reinhardtii as an ingredient for plant-based meat products. Similarly, Algama, based out of France, is involved in identifying microalgal strains, commercial extraction of proteins, and ingredient development to attain desired organoleptic, physicochemical, and functional properties.

There is also interest from big companies like Nestlé and Unilever to enter into the alternative protein space and utilise algae as a sustainable source of protein. Nestlé has entered into a partnership with Corbion to develop microalgae-based ingredients for use in their portfolio of food products. Unilever has partnered with Algenuity, which specialises in developing microalgae for use in consumer products, to explore food products based on microalgae.

The collaboration of multinational companies with biotechnology startups for developing algae-based food products, and a growing number of startups creating algae-based meat, seafood, egg, and dairy applications demonstrate that microalgae and seaweed can be a promising source of alternative proteins. New Wave Foods, a US-based startup, is creating sustainable, plant-based shrimp alternatives made from seaweed and other natural ingredients. Odontella, based out of France, has licensed patents relating to the utilisation of Odontella, a type of microalgae, and has created a microalgae-based smoked salmon alternative. Kuleana, based out of the US, is working on creating plant, microalgae, and seaweed-based tuna. Belgium-based company Damhert has a vegan algae burger product in its portfolio which is already in the market. The Netherlands-based company, Seamore, has a wide range of seaweed-based food products, including chips, wraps, pasta, bread, and a bacon replacement. NovaMeat based out of Spain has recently developed a 3D-printed alternative meat product using plant-based and algae-based proteins. Spira, based out of the US, is working on creating algae-derived protein isolate as an ingredient for plant-based milk and texturising meat analogues.

The growing interest in India

In India, technology consultancy firms like GreenBubble are providing support to companies with lost-cost production systems. On the other hand companies like SeaGrass Technologies, Parry Nutraceuticals, Shaivaa AlgaeTech, and NB Labs are expanding microalgal production systems and exploring new application areas. Research institutes like Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute (CSMCRI) and Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) have been closely working with farmers to implement efficient seaweed farming practices in local communities.

Utilising the existing extraction capabilities in the food and pharmaceutical industries will help these companies and communities to go beyond selling algae whole biomass products and venture into downstream processing of algae to create functional protein isolates, oils, lipids, and fats for use in alternative protein products. Currently, there are startups in India operating in stealth mode working on creating plant-based meat, egg, seafood, and dairy from microalgae-derived ingredients. As the alternative protein sector evolves in India, these startups will play a key role in creating a new generation of sustainable proteins to create alternative meat, egg, dairy, and seafood products. Such products can not only stand out thanks to their unique nutritional and flavor profile but also help diversify the portfolio of protein sources available to Indian consumers. 

High on taste and application

Nutritionally algae are a rich source of micronutrients and essential minerals. From a taste perspective, they have a characteristic umami flavour typically found in seafood making them suitable for alternative seafood applications. Creating a proof of concepts to demonstrate that it is possible to develop alternative protein products from algae will be crucial in India to nudge investors and the corporate sector to actively fund innovations that can create an end market for algae.  

Given the potential of algae as a sustainable food source, the flexibility to engineer efficient production of proteins, and the presence of nutritionally and pharmaceutically valuable compounds from algae, the future of algae-based products is bright.  End market applications of algae, especially in the alternative protein sector, need to be built systematically and step-by-step. The rise in algae production should be complemented with a rise of small and medium-size industries that can process algae and provide a fair price to farmers and suppliers for their harvest. In line with this, downstream processing and product development infrastructure need to be established to bring innovative algae-derived end market products. 

India has a unique advantage as a global bio-manufacturing hub and can be an industry leader in algae-based products with the right balance of academic research and funding from the government, corporate sector, and venture capital firms.  With the help of existing technical expertise and channeling investments in technological development and academic research across the value chain, India can lead the way to cost-efficient, functional applications of algae in the alternative protein sector, and a new generation of delicious, nutritious, and sustainable meat, egg, dairy, and seafood replacements.

 

Rama Devi Tentu, Research Fellow, Good Food Institute India, Mumbai