PROALGAE

Who the project is aimed at

Companies in the agri-food sector, particularly those involved in beer production, animal feed manufacturing and other industries that generate agri-food effluents.

Project objective

The objective of PROALGAE is to produce new alternative proteins from microalgal and cyanobacterial biomass cultivated using by-products from the agri-food industry.

The specific objectives are:

1. To analyse the protein produced using quantitative and qualitative parameters, as well as the composition of microalgal biomass in terms of nutritional characteristics and safety, with a view to its application in the food industry.

2. To develop food products and animal feed using microalgal biomass and protein hydrolysates as ingredients to increase nutritional value and assess sensory acceptability and overall quality.

3. To assess the economic, environmental and social sustainability of protein production from microalgae cultivated in agri-food effluents.

Project description

The PROALGAE project is divided into two subprojects. The first, led by the GEMMA group at UPC, focuses on nutrient recovery from agri-food effluents generated by the brewing industry using microalgae, optimising protein content and improving their organoleptic properties, as well as developing protein-rich biscuits containing microalgal biomass. The economic, environmental and social sustainability of the process will also be analysed. The second subproject, carried out by the Environmental Engineering Group (GIA) at the University of Cantabria, addresses the cultivation of microalgae in agri-food effluents to produce animal feed. It focuses on the bioremediation of high-salinity by-products, such as whey and aquaculture effluents, and on developing a mathematical model to simulate microalgal growth under industrial conditions. PROALGAE aims to reduce dependence on conventional proteins by up to 30%, making production more sustainable and efficient, with benefits for the environment and the food and animal feed industries.

Project funded by the STATE PLAN FOR SCIENTIFIC, TECHNICAL AND INNOVATION RESEARCH 2021-2023