What's Next for Microalgae Oil? A Scientific Mapping for Saturated Fatty Acids

Lipids obtained from microalgae have recently received significant attention from the energy and food industries. Microalgae are promising alternatives and are more sustainable sources of lipids for the food industry, which faces a growing demand for food and increased environmental awareness among consumers. This study provides a bibliometric review of research articles published between 2019 and 2024 with the aim of understanding the future trends and tendencies of the applications of microalgal lipids in the food industry. A thorough assessment of 255 articles retrieved from the Scopus database showed an apparent decrease in the number of publications per year within the analyzed timeframe. The predominant focus has been basic research conducted on a lab-scale using chlorophytes (green algae) to optimize lipid production by modulating physicochemical cultivation parameters (i.e., nutrient availability, temperature, light, and pH). Lipids were mainly extracted using the Bligh and Dyer or Folch methods, quantified gravimetrically, and characterized using gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Publications referring to polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as omega-3 and omega-6, were the most abundant. The results emphasized the significance of microalgae as a promising biotechnological platform for the production of lipids within the food industry.