Chapter 8
Microalgae and Cyanobacteria
Production for Feed and Food
Supplements
Marieke Vanthoor-Koopmans, Miguel V. Cordoba-Matson,
Bertha O. Arredondo-Vega, Cruz Lozano-Ramírez,
Juan F. Garcia-Trejo and Monica C. Rodriguez-Palacio
Abstract Sustainable alternative sources of protein and lipids have become a
priority due to asymptotic limitations of production of traditional crops under the
burden of exponential population growth, climate change, and energy resource
limits. Microalgae and cyanobacteria contain substances that have high biological
value, such as polyunsaturated fatty acids, proteins, pigments, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, as well as carbohydrates. Moreover, they have higher productivity than traditional crops and can be grown in places where other crops
cannot be grown, such as deserts or high-salinity environments. Microalgae in the
past have been used in the diet of humans and animals but mainly as supplements.
Biotechnological use of the entire biomass or protein/lipids of microalgae for
feedstock in human and animal consumption was reviewed. It was found that
microalgae have great potential to replace standard food crops for animal and
human consumption, and ongoing biotechnological advances in cultivation techniques and process technology will likely place new microalgae biomass products
in the world commercial stage in the near future.
Keywords Microalgae Á Cyanobacteria Á Food Á Protein Á Lipids Á Human
consumption Á Animal consumption
M. Vanthoor-Koopmans (&) Á J. F. Garcia-Trejo
Facultad de ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Cerro de las Campanas S/N.
Colonia Las Campanas 76010 Santiago de Querétaro, Querétaro, México
e-mail: mariekekoopmans81@gmail.com
M. V. Cordoba-Matson Á B. O. Arredondo-Vega
Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S. C. Instituto Politécnico Nacional,
No. 195. Colonia Playa Palo de Santa Rita Sur 23096 La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico
C. Lozano-Ramírez Á M. C. Rodriguez-Palacio
Dpto. de Hidrobiología, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana—Laboratorio de Ficología
Aplicada, Av. San Rafael Atlixco 186. Col. Vicentina 09340 Iztapalapa, D.F., México
R. Guevara-Gonzalez and I. Torres-Pacheco (eds.), Biosystems Engineering:
Biofactories for Food Production in the Century XXI, DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-03880-3_8,
Ó Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014
253
Microalgae and Cyanobacteria
Production for Feed and Food
Supplements
Marieke Vanthoor-Koopmans, Miguel V. Cordoba-Matson,
Bertha O. Arredondo-Vega, Cruz Lozano-Ramírez,
Juan F. Garcia-Trejo and Monica C. Rodriguez-Palacio
Abstract Sustainable alternative sources of protein and lipids have become a
priority due to asymptotic limitations of production of traditional crops under the
burden of exponential population growth, climate change, and energy resource
limits. Microalgae and cyanobacteria contain substances that have high biological
value, such as polyunsaturated fatty acids, proteins, pigments, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, as well as carbohydrates. Moreover, they have higher productivity than traditional crops and can be grown in places where other crops
cannot be grown, such as deserts or high-salinity environments. Microalgae in the
past have been used in the diet of humans and animals but mainly as supplements.
Biotechnological use of the entire biomass or protein/lipids of microalgae for
feedstock in human and animal consumption was reviewed. It was found that
microalgae have great potential to replace standard food crops for animal and
human consumption, and ongoing biotechnological advances in cultivation techniques and process technology will likely place new microalgae biomass products
in the world commercial stage in the near future.
Keywords Microalgae Á Cyanobacteria Á Food Á Protein Á Lipids Á Human
consumption Á Animal consumption
M. Vanthoor-Koopmans (&) Á J. F. Garcia-Trejo
Facultad de ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Cerro de las Campanas S/N.
Colonia Las Campanas 76010 Santiago de Querétaro, Querétaro, México
e-mail: mariekekoopmans81@gmail.com
M. V. Cordoba-Matson Á B. O. Arredondo-Vega
Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S. C. Instituto Politécnico Nacional,
No. 195. Colonia Playa Palo de Santa Rita Sur 23096 La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico
C. Lozano-Ramírez Á M. C. Rodriguez-Palacio
Dpto. de Hidrobiología, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana—Laboratorio de Ficología
Aplicada, Av. San Rafael Atlixco 186. Col. Vicentina 09340 Iztapalapa, D.F., México
R. Guevara-Gonzalez and I. Torres-Pacheco (eds.), Biosystems Engineering:
Biofactories for Food Production in the Century XXI, DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-03880-3_8,
Ó Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014
253