Demonstrating a cost competitive, sustainable, scalable intensified micro-algae bioprocess for the production of food-grade medium value, carbon negative Ingredients exceeding Market Standards

Micro-Algae offer a solution to many of the European bioeconomy needs. Nevertheless, significant challenges still exist to their acceptance on the market, including organoleptic and functionality challenges. CleanAlgae2Value seeks to unlock such potential via a cascading approach to white-microalgae-derived medium-price ingredients, including protein isolates, oils, natural pigments and starch. The project will build and operate a replicable “upgrading-module” to drastically enhance relevant biorefineries performance via a cost-competitive, sustainable, and scalable microalgae fractionation and valorisation process for producing food-grade, medium-value, carbon-negative ingredients that exceed market standards. More specifically, the project will prove the effectiveness and efficiency of a “Micro-Algae Biorefinery Upgrade Module” (MABUM), able to unlock productions of protein isolates, protein concentrates, starch-rich fraction and oils (respectively 2, 1.3, 3.98 and 1.8 tons) to be validated into 15 prototypes, 13 for food and 2 for bio-packaging markets. The project will do so while increasing operative margins, by decreasing “value-normalised” CAPEX and OPEX, also thanks to modelling optimisation, contributing to market penetration. Importantly, CleanAlgae2Value would also benefit from synergies with a recently granted EIC Accelerator project, which focuses on upstream algae production from CO2 via SOL two-step fermentation, using solely CO2 as carbon source. The project brings together 16 organizations from 9 European countries, collaborating with end-users to produce added value ingredients. Holistic evaluations, including both empirical (surveys, workshops) and horizontal considerations (LCA, TEA, SSbD), will allow for the assessment of market acceptance and environmental, economic and societal sustainability, as well as further support and boost the project DCE activities and pathways towards EFSA positive opinion for those ingredients that still require it.