Food

Algae have been consumed as human food for centuries and are valuable products sought in many world cuisines, especially in the Far East. Basic food raw materials such as algin and alginate derivatives, carrageenan are obtained from algae. In addition, algae have created an important market opportunity in the functional food sector, particularly thanks to their high nutritional properties. Algae, which stand out among alternative protein sources due to the high protein they contain, have begun to be used for food products with high nutritional value due to their vitamin and mineral content. Algae cultivated in controlled production areas without the need for fertile farmland play an important role in the field of healthy food with their properties, such as being organic, non-GMO, herbal, natural, etc. In this context, R&D activities are carried out on domestic production, high quality functional food products within the scope of Project INDEPENDENT, and industrial production is scaled up. The functional food portfolio of Project INDEPENDENT is as follows:

Spirulina: Spirulina powder containing all red meat amino acids using special species with high levels of vegetable protein

Omega-3 fatty acids: High EPA and DHA products that are completely algae-derived, independent of fish oil production processes

Astaxanthin: Powder astaxanthin products that, as the strongest known antioxidant, neutralize reactive oxygen species, show positive results in clinical trials in different disease models

Beta-carotene: Powdered beta-carotene products known as provitamin A source, which have positive contributions to the immune and visual system

Phycocyanin: Phycocyanin products from the phycobiliprotein family, which is the main photosynthetic apparatus of blue-green algae, showing high antioxidant properties, soluble in water and giving a natural blue color