Engineering Approaches for Sustainable Protein Production in Microalgae: A Comprehensive Review

Oct 15, 2025Comprehensive reviews in food science and food safety

Using Engineering Methods to Produce Protein Sustainably from Microalgae

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Abstract

Microalgae may provide a sustainable source of dietary protein due to their high photosynthetic efficiency and rapid growth.

Mixotrophic cultivation of microalgae can enable significantly higher biomass yields for protein production.
Key factors such as light quality, carbon sources, and nitrogen availability influence protein biosynthesis in microalgae.
CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing shows promise for enhancing microalgal protein production, though challenges remain.
Random mutagenesis has been effective in increasing protein accumulation in various microalgal strains.
Downstream processing methods, including drying and fermentation, are crucial for improving the nutritional properties of microalgal proteins.
Biorefinery strategies may enhance economic viability by integrating the utilization of biomass in protein recovery.

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The continuously growing demand for dietary protein raises the urgency of expanding supply chains beyond conventional animal-based sources. Microalgae are well-known as biofactories due to their high photosynthetic efficiency, rapid growth, minimal resource requirements, and ability to thrive in diverse environments. To maximize protein production, mixotrophic cultivation is often preferred, as it enables significantly higher biomass yields. Key factors, including light quality (intensity and wavelength), carbon sources (inorganic COand organic substrates), and nitrogen availability, play significant roles in directing metabolic fluxes toward protein biosynthesis, the modulation of which refers to biochemical engineering. In the field of genetic engineering, precise gene editing tools, especially CRISPR/Cas9, have demonstrated considerable promise, although the application in enhancing microalgal protein production remains challenging and limited. By contrast, random mutagenesis has been proven effective in improving multiple strains for increased protein accumulation. Beyond upstream strategies, downstream engineering, including drying, extrusion forming, and fermentation, is emphasized for improving the nutritional and functional properties of microalgal proteins for food and feed applications in the form of whole cells. Furthermore, extracted microalgal proteins broaden the range of potential applications, whose quality is significantly affected by the methods used for cell disruption/extraction, purification, and hydrolysis. Novel biorefinery strategies are also discussed to enhance economic viability by integrating value-added biomass utilization within a protein-first recovery scheme. Altogether, by combining advances in cultivation technologies, strain modification, processing, and supportive policy frameworks, this review supports the development of sustainable protein production platforms based on microalgae. 2

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Engineering Approaches for Sustainable Protein Production in Microalgae: A Comprehensive Review

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