Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 3, 2025
11:08
Cultivation of Green Microalgae in Bubble Column Photobioreactors and an Assay for Neutral Lipids
Published on: January 7, 2019
21.6K
Emerging prospects of macro- and microalgae as prebiotic
Anil Kumar Patel1, Reeta Rani Singhania1, Mukesh Kumar Awasthi2
1Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung City, 81157, Taiwan.
Microbial Cell Factories
|June 6, 2021
Summary
Algae offer significant health benefits as prebiotics and functional foods. Further research is needed to unlock their full potential for human and animal health applications.
Area of Science:
- Marine biotechnology
- Nutritional science
- Food science
Background:
- Algal biomass is rich in nutrients like polysaccharides, proteins, and fatty acids.
- Algal polysaccharides act as prebiotics, promoting gut health.
- Algae are increasingly used in functional foods and animal feed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the health benefits of algae consumption, focusing on prebiotic properties.
- To explore the potential of algae in functional foods and animal feed.
- To highlight the need for further research and development in the algal industry.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of scientific studies on algae and their health benefits.
- Analysis of nutritional composition and bioactive properties of macro- and microalgae.
- Examination of current and potential applications in human and animal nutrition.
Main Results:
- Algae are a valuable source of polysaccharides with prebiotic effects.
- Algal compounds exhibit various bioactive properties, including immunomodulatory and antioxidative effects.
- Algae show promise as a sustainable food source and therapeutic agent.
Conclusions:
- Algae consumption offers diverse health benefits, particularly as a prebiotic.
- Further research is essential to overcome challenges in scaling up algal bioprocesses for commercialization.
- Developing the algal industry can provide sustainable food solutions and therapeutic applications.
Related Concept Videos
01:21Green Algae
328
Green algae, also referred to as chlorophytes, are different from red algae in having the chloroplasts containing chlorophylls a and b, which give them their distinct green hue. However, they lack phycobiliproteins, preventing them from developing the red or blue-green pigmentation seen in red algae. In terms of photosynthetic pigment composition, green algae closely resemble plants and share a close evolutionary relationship with them. Taxonomically Green algae belong to Phylum Chlorophyta in...
328
01:28Overview of Algae
435
The kingdom Archaeplastida encompasses red and green algae, along with land plants. Unlike other protists with chloroplasts that arose through secondary endosymbiosis, only red and green algae originated from primary endosymbiotic events. This diverse group of eukaryotic organisms contains chlorophyll and performs oxygenic photosynthesis.Algae exist in various forms, from large brown kelp in coastal waters to green scum in puddles and stains on rocks or soil. Some species are responsible for...
435
01:23Red Algae
443
Red algae, also known as rhodophytes, are primarily found in marine environments, though some species inhabit freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems. These organisms exist in both unicellular and multicellular forms, with some multicellular varieties reaching macroscopic sizes.As phototrophic organisms, red algae contain chlorophyll a; however, their chloroplasts lack chlorophyll b. Instead, they possess phycobiliproteins, which serve as major light-harvesting pigments, similar to those found in...
443
01:19Other Algae
154
The group Stramenopiles include some phototrophic microorganisms. Members of this group possess flagella covered in numerous short, hairlike extensions, a feature that inspired the group's name, derived from the Latin words for "straw" and "hair." Some of the main categories of Stramenopiles include diatoms, golden algae, and brown algae.Diatoms are unicellular, photosynthetic eukaryotes, with over 200 known genera. They play a key role in the planktonic communities of both marine and...
154
01:29Microorganisms in Medicine and Therapeutics
558
Microorganisms play a fundamental role in vaccine development, gene therapy, and therapeutic production. Their biological properties are harnessed to advance medicine and public health. Beyond immunization, microorganisms contribute to gut health, antibiotic synthesis, and genetic disease treatment.Live Attenuated and Inactivated VaccinesLive attenuated vaccines, such as the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, utilize weakened forms of pathogens to closely resemble natural infections.
558