Scientists led by Chalmers University of Technology have developed a groundbreaking technique to extract proteins from sea lettuce, tripling the efficiency of previous methods. This innovation has significant implications for sustainable food production and could soon bring seaweed-based products to our plates.
Researchers led by Chalmers University of Technology have unlocked a more efficient process to extract proteins from seaweed, specifically sea lettuce (Ulva fenestrata). This breakthrough, increasing extraction efficiency threefold, marks a significant step in sustainable food production, potentially shifting the way we consume and produce protein.
Seaweed, especially sea lettuce, is a nutritional powerhouse and an eco-friendly protein source. Unlike traditional crops, it requires no fresh water, fertilizers or pesticides, making it a highly sustainable option.
"It tastes like umami with a certain salty flavor, despite not containing such high levels of salt," João Trigo, a doctoral student in the division of Food and Nutrition Science at Chalmers, said in a news release. "I would say it's a great flavor enhancer for seafood dishes and products, but the possibilities to explore are endless. Why not protein smoothies or 'blue burgers' from the sea?"
The innovation is part of the CirkAlg-project, an initiative aimed at establishing a new "blue-green" food industry in Sweden by utilizing seaweed. With their newly patented method, the researchers are able to isolate seaweed proteins using an alkaline aqueous solution, which opens up the cell membranes to access fat-soluble proteins. This process results in a protein-rich ingredient enriched with essential nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin B12 - crucial for those who abstain from animal products.
"Our method is an important breakthrough, as it brings us closer to making it more affordable to extract these proteins, something that is done with pea and soy proteins today," added Trigo.
The cultivation of sea lettuce also presents advantages over land-grown proteins. Seaweed does not require irrigation, fertilization or pesticides, and it can adapt to varying environments. Moreover, by growing sea lettuce in tanks with recycled water from the seafood industry, its protein content is significantly enhanced, while recycling essential nutrients back into the food chain.
"Humanity will need to find and combine the intake of many more diversified protein sources than we have available in our diet today, to meet sustainability and nutritional requirements," Ingrid Undeland, a professor of food science at Chalmers and a CirkAlg coordinator, said in the news release. "Algae is a good addition to many of the products already on the market. We need all these solutions and so far, the sea-based possibilities, the so-called blue proteins, have been overlooked."
The implications of this innovative process, published in Food Chemistry, are profound. Not only does it promote sustainability and reduce the environmental footprint of food production, but it also provides a nutritional boost with essential compounds that help mitigate deficiencies common in plant-based diets.
"In the future, we also want to be able to make use of the parts of the algae that are not proteins, and that could be used in food, materials or for medical applications. The goal is that no molecules should go to waste, to achieve both sustainability and commercial opportunities," added Undeland.
As global food industries seek more sustainable practices, the study highlights how transforming an underutilized resource like sea lettuce into a viable protein alternative can drive innovation and ecological stewardship. This scientific stride holds promise not only for Sweden but for global efforts to create a resilient and sustainable food system.