Functional triacylglycerols from microalgae and their use in the formulation of functional foods—Review

Consumers increased demand for food products that promote health has compelled the food processing industry to develop food products that not only satiate hunger but also aid in the prevention of non-communicable diseases. Microalgae have emerged as a potential source of functional components like triacylglycerols containing essential fatty acids that could be used in the formulation of functional food products. These components help prevent non-communicable diseases due to their inherent characteristics like anti-oxidative, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, etc. The microalgae are concentrated sources of triacylglycerols containing essential fatty acids and are considered a potential replacer for fish oil in providing these functional ingredients also well accepted by the vegan. This review aims to cover the literature on the triacylglycerol content of microalgae with a focus on the functional triacylglycerol, the fatty acid composition of triacylglycerol extracted from different microalgal biomass, innovative extraction technologies for intensified extraction, the potential use of triacylglycerols from microalgae in the formulation of functional food products. Further, the present constraints and future prospectus in using microalgal triacylglycerol in functional food are also discussed.