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November 21, 2016Journal of Applied PhycologyOpen Access

Algae as nutritional and functional food sources: revisiting our understanding

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Authors

MWMark L. WellsXiamen UniversityPPPhilippe PotinCentre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueJCJ. S. CraigieDalhousie University

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Implication

Review reveals major knowledge gaps in algal nutrient bioavailability in humans, highlighting the need to evaluate processing and microbiome interactions.

Key Points

  • To identify key scientific challenges in quantifying the nutritional composition, human bioavailability, functional health benefits, and potential adverse effects of algal foods.
  • Reviewed scientific literature addressing nutritional profiles and functional compounds across diverse macroalgae and microalgae.
  • Assessed the physiological and environmental drivers of algal food value, including species diversity, harvesting seasons, post-harvest processing, and human digestion.
  • Nutritional profiles vary substantially across algal species, geographic habitats, harvesting seasons, and industrial processing methods.
  • Bioavailability of functional algal compounds depends heavily on preparation techniques and individual genetic differences in the gut microbiome.
  • Clear quantitative evidence linking algal constituents to specific human metabolic outcomes and adverse effects remains insufficient.

Cite This Study

Wells et al. (2016) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/69dbca67f7e0c66ced836533https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-016-0974-5
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