Cultured Microalgae for the Food Industry

Cultured Microalgae for the Food Industry: Current and Potential Applications is a comprehensive reference that addresses the current applications and potential uses of microalgae and microalgae-derived compounds in the food industry. The book explores the different steps of the subject, from strain selection and cultivation steps, to the assessment of the public perception of microalgae consumption and the gastronomical potential of this innovative resource. Readers will find coverage of microalgae biology, common and uncommon algae species, cultivation strategies for food applications, novel extraction techniques, safety issues, regulatory issues, and current market opportunities and challenges. This title also explores the gastronomic potential of microalgae and reviews current commercialized products along with consumer attitudes surrounding microalgae. Covering relevant, up-to-date research as assembled by a group of contributors who are experts in their respective fields, the book is an essential reading for advanced undergraduates, postgraduates, and researchers in the microbiology, biotechnology, food science and technology fields.

Dr Lafarga has over 30 publications on varied aspects of food science and technology published in high impact factor journals and book chapters and over 10 contributions to international conferences. He has received professional awards including a Juan de la Cierva awarded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and a Wang Shang Fellowship awarded by the International Society for Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods. After his PhD, Dr Lafarga collaborated with the research group Analytical Chemistry of Contaminants of the Department of Chemistry and Physics of the University of Almería developing methods for the analysis and determination of organic compounds in foods. Dr Lafarga is currently a Scientific Researcher in the Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA) in Lleida, Spain. His research lines include the development of novel safe, high-quality, and healthy foods using non-thermal and environmentally-friendly technologies and food co-product revalorization to obtain novel food ingredients and reduce the amount of food discarded as waste. Francisco Gabriel Acién-Fernández is a Full Professor at the Department of Engineering of the University of Almeria since 1999 and instructs in Chemistry, Industrial Biotechnology, Chemical Engineering, and Agricultural Engineering. His research lines include the optimization of microalgae cultivation strategies, revalorization of wastewater and food processing co-products, and production of high value-added compounds for food and nutraceutical applications. He is currently the coordinator of the EU funded Research Project SABANA, which aims at developing a large-scale integrated microalgae-based biorefinery for the production of biostimulants, biopesticides, and food additives. Prof Acién published over 150 publications in high impact factor journals and co-authored more than 20 books or book chapters dealing with microalgae biomass cultivation.