School of Science, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW 2753, Australia.
College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Health Science Building, Building 4, Registry Road, Bedford Park, Adelaide, SA 5042, Australia.
Nutrients. 2024 Sep 23;16(18):3223. doi: 10.3390/nu16183223.
Undernutrition is an important global health problem, especially in children and older adults. Both reversal of maternal and child undernutrition and heathy ageing have become United Nations-supported global initiatives, leading to increased attention to nutritional interventions targeting undernutrition. One feasible option is microalgae, the precursor of all terrestrial plants. Most commercially farmed microalgae are photosynthetic single-celled organisms producing organic carbon compounds and oxygen. This review will discuss commercial opportunities to grow microalgae. Microalgae produce lipids (including omega-3 fatty acids), proteins, carbohydrates, pigments and micronutrients and so can provide a suitable and underutilised alternative for addressing undernutrition. The health benefits of nutrients derived from microalgae have been identified, and thus they are suitable candidates for addressing nutritional issues globally. This review will discuss the potential benefits of microalgae-derived nutrients and opportunities for microalgae to be converted into food products. The advantages of microalgae cultivation include that it does not need arable land or pesticides. Additionally, most species of microalgae are still unexplored, presenting options for further development. Further, the usefulness of microalgae for other purposes such as bioremediation and biofuels will increase the knowledge of these microorganisms, allowing the development of more efficient production of these microalgae as nutritional interventions.
营养不良是一个重要的全球健康问题，尤其是在儿童和老年人中。扭转母婴和老年人营养不良以及健康老龄化已经成为联合国支持的全球倡议，这导致人们更加关注针对营养不良的营养干预措施。一种可行的选择是微藻，它是所有陆地植物的前身。大多数商业化养殖的微藻是进行光合作用的单细胞生物，能产生有机碳化合物和氧气。本综述将讨论种植微藻的商业机会。微藻可产生脂质（包括欧米伽 3 脂肪酸）、蛋白质、碳水化合物、色素和微量元素，因此可作为一种合适且尚未充分利用的选择，以解决营养不良问题。已经确定了从微藻中提取的营养物质的健康益处，因此它们是解决全球营养问题的合适候选物。本综述将讨论微藻衍生营养物质的潜在益处以及将微藻转化为食品的机会。微藻养殖的优势包括不需要耕地或使用农药。此外，大多数微藻物种仍未被开发，为进一步发展提供了选择。此外，微藻在生物修复和生物燃料等其他用途上的用处将增加对这些微生物的了解，从而开发出更有效的这些微藻的生产方法，将其作为营养干预措施。
