ABSTRACT
In recent years, the research and development sector has been trying to discover new, innovative, sustainable protein sources. This movement is due to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO/UN) provisions about a future protein shortage combined with global demand for innovative, healthy, sustainable ingredients. In this scenario, microalgae (including cyanobacteria) protein becomes an attractive option since it can achieve significant protein volumes produced in scalable, sustainable systems similar to the required nutritional standards. In addition, the protein content associated with the nutritional quality of amino acids and the wide ecological adaptation of microalgae confirms the potential of this bioresource of sustainable edible proteins. Additionally, there is a future trend toward adding this protein to meat analogues and application as emulsifiers and bioactive peptides. However, for the applicability to become effective, some challenges must be overcome, especially the digestibility and palatability of the biomass. Given this, this chapter aims to cover the main aspects related to microalgae protein production as a sustainable approach, the protein quality of microalgae biomass, applications and microalgae protein properties, as well as the challenges and future trends in this area of study.
