Abstract
Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (Omega-3 PUFA) are recognized as being essential compounds for human nutrition and health. The human body generates only low levels of Omega-3 PUFA. Conventional sources of Omega-3 PUFA are from marine origin. However, the global growth of population combined with a better consumer understanding about healthy nutrition leads to the fact that traditional sources are exhausted and therefore not enough to satisfy the demand of Omega-3 PUFA for human diet as well as aquaculture. Microalgae cultivated under heterotrophic conditions is increasingly recognized as a suitable technology for the production of the Omega-3 PUFA. The high cost of using glucose as main carbon source for cultivation is the main challenge to establish economical feasible production processes. The latest relevant studies provide alternative pathways for Omega-3 PUFA production. As preliminary results show, volatile fatty acids (VFA) recovered from waste stream could be a good alternative to the use of glucose as carbon source in microalgae cultivation. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the actual situation of Omega-3 PUFA production, sources and market request to provide a summary on sustainable sources that are being investigated as well as present and future market trends in Omega-3 market.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Article number | 148 |
Pages (from-to) | 1-15 |
Number of pages | 15 |
Journal | Resources |
Volume | 9 |
Issue number | 12 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 16 Dec 2020 |
Funding
The authors would like to thank the European project VOLATILE. The project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 720777.
Funders | Funder number |
---|---|
Horizon 2020 Framework Programme | 720777 |
Keywords
- Docosahexaenoic acid
- Heterotrophic microalgae
- Market trends
- Nutrition
- Sustainable sources
- Volatile fatty acid
Project and Funding Information
- Project ID
- info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/H2020/720777/EU/Biowaste derived volatile fatty acid platform for biopolymers, bioactive compounds and chemical building blocks/VOLATILE
- Funding Info
- The authors would like to thank the European project VOLATILE. The project has received funding_x000D_from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 720777.