Chapter 10 - Microalgae as structuring ingredients in food

Abstract

Besides being a promising source of functional ingredients and to improve the nutritional value of foods, microalgae could possibly also contribute to the structural properties of the enriched food products. Several microalgae are rich in structural biopolymers such as proteins, storage polysaccharides, and cell wall-related polysaccharides. This chapter aims to compile the data available in the literature on the rheological properties of microalgal biomasses for food applications. The first part gives an overview of studies on the application of microalgal biomass in diverse food products, evaluating their rheological properties. In the second part, the rheological behavior of microalgal biomass in aqueous model systems is discussed to give a better insight into the intrinsic structuring potential of different microalgae. Finally, the last part provides an overview on how food processing operations can be used to tailor rheological properties of microalgal biomass suspensions.