Can Microalgae-Based Food Become a Trend? Pioneering Study Reveals Consumer Insights
While microalgae present a promising alternative protein source with an excellent amino acid profile, polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, and potential sustainability benefits such as reduced land use, it remains uncertain whether consumers will embrace them. Research on the acceptance of microalgae has only recently emerged, with most of these studies so far originating from Europe, where there is relatively minimal consumption of microalgae. However, Dr Bianca Wassmann and her team from the Singapore-ETH Centre’s Urban Microalgae Protein Production project have recently conducted a survey regarding microalgae-based food in Singapore. The study aimed to understand consumers’ attitudes before product development — with one of the goals being to create a food product for Singapore — to ensure that final products made with microalgae are appealing (taste, …