Race for pale algae: Neutral taste and color enable plant-based fortification

07 Jan 2022 --- The demand for functional plant-based foods has helped algae gain mainstream approval, but its vivid green color and strong taste have historically created formulation difficulties. 

In this space, NutritionInsight speaks with Duplaco and Allmicroalgae, who are each developing new forms of the ingredient offering more subtle color and taste characteristics.

“We’re currently in the R&D phase, working to introduce a white version in the next six months. Of course, there’s no guarantee,” says Marieke Smidt, commercial director of Duplaco. 

The company also recently launched Duplaco Gold, a new Chlorella algae marketed as being more “discrete.” Thanks to special natural cultivation, it has fewer color pigments but still contains similar nutrients to traditional green versions. 

Enabling fortification
Notably, Duplaco Gold contains 40% protein, which includes all nine essential amino acids, as well as an abundance of vitamins and minerals. Duplaco Gold also boasts extra iron and vitamin B12. 

“This is especially desirable for people following plant-based diets, who often lack these vitamins. Duplaco Gold is also rich in fiber. In the Netherlands, for example, many people are deficient, which can have negative impacts on gut health,” explains Smidt.

Therefore, Duplaco is positioning its algae as a vegan-friendly and clean label ingredient for the fortification of products like pasta, baked goods and meat alternatives. 

“Duplaco Gold now allows producers to address the trend toward healthy foods without changing their taste, aroma or appearance,” emphasizes Marcel Oogink, founder of Duplaco.

Meanwhile, the upcoming white Chlorella launch will target plant-based alternatives to milk, yogurt and cheese.Allmicroalgae’s white and honey Chlorella powders were recently on show at Fi Europe 2021. 

Harnessing GMO-free methods
Allmicroalgae already offers honey and white forms of Chlorella vulgaris. Both are obtained through the isolation of lighter strains under stress conditions.

According to the company, this GMO-free manipulation is commonly used as a way to speed naturally-occurring selection. The final product is a stable strain with similar productivity but a lower chlorophyll content, which translates to a milder taste and odor.

“Imagine if you want to add microalgae to ice cream or yogurt – now you don’t need to worry about the strong flavors or odors of algae. People can be reluctant to trying microalgae because of the flavor,” explains António Saraiva, commercial manager at Allmicroalgae.

“Right now, we are the only company producing white Chlorella, but other companies are producing yellow versions,” he adds. 

Room for everyone
However, Smidt says there is no reason for other companies to be nervous about Duplaco’s launches. “I predict the microalgae market will grow, so there is plenty of space for all of us.”

She continues that major food companies also prefer to have a second supplier. “For example, even if they work with us and we are reliable, they always like to have another option. Therefore, it’s good that companies are building the market and creating a choice, so food companies don’t have to depend on just one supplier.”

Smidt has spoken to companies that were planning to introduce products using other businesses’ paler microalgae, but then these suppliers could not deliver. “The companies say that they will never bet on just one supplier anymore because it delays everything – especially after you have spent a lot of time and money.”

Production logistics
Smidt also highlights Duplaco’s unique production methods, which use a closed fermenter. In doing so, many algae can be grown in a small space, unaffected by sunlight, weather and climate conditions. This eliminates impurities and quality fluctuations and saves customers the long transport routes, including delivery problems.

“We are the only company that has a growth rate of 100 g per L per day. We cultivate liquid at 10% dry weight, which is very high in comparison to other companies in this space,” Smidt explains. 

This also means that the drying process needs a lot less energy, thus appealing to environmental demands.

Additionally, other players often introduce all the growing mediums right at the beginning of the process. “You can imagine that at this point, there is an ‘overkill’ of nutrients in the batch, which is not ideal for algae growth.”

“In contrast, Duplaco’s methodology means that we can maintain the circumstances for algae to grow at a constant ideal level, thus translating into a high growth rate.”Duplaco Gold (right) is much paler than standard versions of algae (left). 

Ambitious goals for the future
Looking ahead, Duplaco’s developers will work on Chlorella with an even higher content of protein – and on making production even more cost-efficient.

The company also recently scaled up its production in Oldenzaal, the Netherlands, from 15 metric tons to 200 to 300 metric tons per year. The aim is to increase this to 1,500 metric tons per year in the future. 

Duplaco also plans on supplying fresh liquid Chlorella, which can constitute up to 30% of a meat alternative – and correspondingly boost its protein content. 

Meanwhile, Allmicroalgae recently teamed up with Algaplus on Algaessence, which targets immunity. 

In other moves in this space, Provectus Algae secured US$11.4 million in a pre-series A funding round for its natural and biosynthetic specialty ingredients.

By Katherine Durrell