Value-Added Products from Microalgae - Biotechnological Applications of Microalgae - page 147

TABLE 10.6
Essential Microalgal PUFAs

PUFA Potential Application Microalgal Producer

Infant formula
(full-term infants)
Nutraceuticals

Arthrospira
( Spirulina ) sp.

γ-Linoleic acid (GLA) ω6

Arachidonic acid (AA) ω6 Infant formula

(full-/pre-term infants)
Nutraceuticals

Porphyridium sp.

Neutraceuticals
Aquaculture

Nannochloropsis
Phaeodactylum
Nitzschia sp.

Eicosapentaenoic acid ω3
(EPA)

Docosahexaenoic acid ω3
(DHA).

Infant formula
(full-/pre-term infants)
Nutraceuticals
Aquaculture

Crypthecodinium
( Schizochytrium ) sp.

10.2.3.1 Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA)
The two most significant essential fatty acids found in considerable levels in meat and
coldwater fish are the omega-3 eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic
acid (DHA) (see Table 10.7). New evidence suggests beneficial effects of omega-3
on diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), inflammatory disease, and brain
function. Recent studies have also shown the positive impact of omega-3 in curing
mental health disorders (Simopoulos, 1999; Arterburn et al., 2000; Nemets et al.,
2002; Kris-Etherton et al., 2003, Wen and Chen, 2003; Ruxton et al., 2004; Freeman
et al., 2006; Von Schacky and Harris, 2007; Mischoulon et al., 2008; The Ocean
Nutrition Canada website, 2010). Aside from human health, omega-3 has significant
advantages for growth and development (Ruxton et al., 2004). As a result, more than
14,000 studies have been conducted over the past 35 years, promoting the benefits
of omega-3 fatty acids in the human diet at every stage of life (The Ocean Nutrition
Canada website, 2010).
Currently, algal EPA and DHA are the only alternative to fish oils. Apart from
being a complete vegetarian alternative, microalgae are considered sustainable feed-
stocks for the production of EPA and DHA compared to other sources such as sar-
dines, krill, and genetically engineered oilseed crops. Consumers are well aware
of the choices they make, and they prefer an omega-3 source that is “naturally bio-
diverse and not genetically engineered” (Watson, 2011a). In general, algal cultures
are pure and eliminate concerns about high levels of toxins, pollutants, and heavy
metals. Algal oils have a high unsaturation index and with the aid of novel process-
ing techniques to improve stabilization by reducing oxidation potential, algal oils
provide fish-free odor and taste. New and improved technologies, such as microen-
capsulation, allow these oils to be employed in a broader food and beverage applica-
tion profile for both vegetarians and nonvegetarians (Pulz and Gross, 2004; Ward
and Singh, 2005; Whelan and Rust, 2006). Unlike the highly competitive marine