Microalgal proteins are food matrices The objective of the Functional Proteins & Colors Business Unit set up within Fermentalg is to develop and market innovative products based on proteins obtained by fermentation of microalgae. Marie Jane Fallourd, who has headed this BU since September 2020, unveils what proteins derived from microalgae will be. Actif’s Mag: Some strains of microalgae are sources zinc), and soluble fibre. Above all, it contains powerful antiox- of proteins. Which ones? And which ones are you working idants such as phycocyanin, which differs from Spirulina in its on in particular at Fermentalg? stability in acidic environments. Marie Jane Fallourd: There are many strains of microalgae characterised by their richness in proteins. However, the main Actif’s Mag: What might bethe future of these proteins as microalgae studied are few in number: Spirulina (Arthrospira more and more non-animal protein sources appear? platensis), Chlorella vulgaris, Chlorella protothecocoides, Euglena Marie Jane Fallourd: Microalgae proteins are real optimised Gracillis, Aphanizomenon flosaquae, Galderia Sulphuraria. In food matrices. More than sources of high nutritional quality the field of functional proteins, Fermentalg is currently focus- proteins, they are naturally positioned as Superfoods (or feeds) ing on Galderia Sulphuraria, a microalga originating from the of algal origin, rich in proteins of course, but which provide oth- Sonoma hot springs in California. This origin gives it an excep- er nutrients with high added value. tional physiognomy, and in particular one of its specificities: This is what differentiates them from new non-animal protein growth in an acid environment. The Functional Proteins plat- sources, which are more concentrated in protein, and some form has chosen its future production method for its future pro- of which have functionalities more focused on texture and its tein biomass as well as its blue color : heterotrophic fermentation improvement. The future of «microalgal» proteins is therefore in bioreactors - without light source. naturally mapped out in the Nutrition & Health sector in the Several parameters guided this choice. Quality, first of all, since animal feed, petfood and human food markets, as an unpro- this fermentation allows for repeatability and control of the com- cessed ingredient (whole food), clean label, vegan, GMO free, position, traceability, sterility - absence of external contamina- gluten-free and free of anti-nutritional factors and of pesticides. tion, absence of pesticides for example. Secondly, availability, as These characteristics allow them to be used in food supple- production is independent of location, and throughout the year ments or directly in foods. if necessary. As far as sustainability is concerned, our Kalvea® bi- In addition, our future product ranges under the Kalvea® brand omass meets 8 of the 17 sustainable development goals defined will be different because they are derived from a sustainable, by the UN. Another criterion is productivity, compared to other fully traceable and controlled fermentation process, as men- methods of producing biomass from microalgae. This choice is tioned above. They also have an antioxidant potential. And last the result of the strong microbiological and process expertise de- but not least, the organoleptic profile of our future products is veloped over the years at Fermentalg. neutral, which is a strong point of differentiation and an unde- niable asset, whatever the target market. The first target mar- Actif’s Mag: What are the nutritional benefits of these kets will be very specific and targeted in the animal feed and proteins? pet food sectors. Then, when regulatory approvals are obtained, Marie Jane Fallourd: Galderia Sulphuraria produces a bio- these ingredients will be positioned in the sports nutrition and mass naturally rich in protein - with a content of between 50 specialised senior nutrition markets. All of the above benefits and 65% depending on the grade - which is highly digestible are perfectly in line with the needs of current and future con- and of high quality. The ratio of essential amino acids to to- sumers and markets. Namely, the demands for naturalness, ef- tal amino acids is close to 50. The content of Branched Chain ficiency, practicality, ethics, good for health, sustainability, lo- Amino Acids (BCAA) is also interesting. Biomass is also rich in cal and unprocessed (back to basics). Without ever losing sight vitamins, especially those of the B group, and minerals (iron, of the pleasure of food through taste. • stneidergnI — stneidérgnI- 49 -GALTNEMREF WEIVRETNI