Phytochemicals from Algae: Isolation, Analysis and Food Applications

Dear Colleagues,

Algae are a large, incredibly diverse, and polyphyletic group of eukaryotic, photosynthetic organisms. There are two main groups of algae: multicellular algae (e.g., giant kelp and brown algae) and unicellular algae (e.g., Euglenophyta, Chlorophyta, and Dinoflagellates). Most algae grow in a moist or watery environment; hence, they do not need arable farmland. As a kind of autotrophic eukaryotic organism, unlike other land plants, they lack many structural components typically present in plants, such as leaves, shoots, and true stems. They produce nearly half of the atmospheric oxygen, and simultaneously consume the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide.

The phytochemicals produced by algae include a variety of high-added-value compounds, such as proteins, unsaturated fatty acids, pigments, and microalgal polysaccharides (chrysolaminarin). These high-added-value natural products usually have a variety of biological activities and can be used in medicine, nutraceuticals, and foods, and have high economic and social value. However, there are still some key obstacles that inhibit the development of the algal industry, which include insufficient biomass for commercialization, expensive and complicated harvesting, and a non-eco-friendly extraction method. This Special Issue focuses on the isolation, analysis, and food applications of algae-based phytochemicals, in order to fully understand this group of organisms and guide future algal-food industry.

Prof. Dr. Shuhao Huo
Prof. Dr. Xiangyuan Deng
Guest Editors

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