Algae as a Source of Natural Flavors in Innovative Foods

Abstract

As a result of their nutritive values, algae have been used as a food resource for centuries, and there is a growing interest to use them as enrichment ingredients in food products. However, food product acceptance by consumers is strongly linked to their organoleptic properties, especially the aroma, taste, and a combination of the two, flavor. With regard to edible algae, “fresh seashore”, “seafood-like”, “cucumber green”, and “earthy” are descriptors commonly used to define their aromas. Several families of molecules participate in the diversity and peculiarities of algal aromas: pungent sulfur compounds and marine halogenated components but also herbaceous fatty acid derivatives and fruity–floral terpenoids. In both macroalgae (seaweeds) and microalgae, these compounds are studied from a chemistry point of view (identification and quantification) and a sensorial point of view, involving sensorial evaluation by panelists. As a whole food, a food ingredient, or a feed, algae are valued for their nutritional composition and their health benefits. However, because the acceptance of food by consumers is so strongly linked to its sensorial features, studies have been performed to explore the aromas of algae, their impact on food, their evolution through processing, and their ability to produce selected aromas using biotechnology. This review aims at highlighting algal aromas from seaweed and microalgae as well as their use, their handling, and their processing in the food industry.

Use of algae as food ingredient: sensory acceptance and commercial products

“…It is important to highlight that high protein content (28%-71% dry weight) of certain microalgae (Becker, 2007) could result in a high amount of free amino acids notably glutamic acid and aspartate, causing high umami taste desirable for the imparting flavor in plant-based seafood alternative (Coleman et al, 2022), whereas fishy off-flavors of microalgal biomass may be unwanted for certain food products (dairy foods, cookies, pasta, beverages, among others). In this way, advanced studies and investigations on the phytochemical compounds in microalgae are important to reveal the presence of volatile organic compounds that directly affect the sensorial properties of algal-based food products as well as its acceptance (Francezon et al, 2021). Some authors have focused their research on evaluating the acceptance of algae as a food ingredient by consumers (Onwezen et al, 2021).…”

“…In general, consumers prefer products in which novel ingredients made from algae can be disguised due to their bitter taste and grassy odor (Onwezen et al, 2021). Disguising ingredients may increases familiarity with algae biomass due to its potential ability to mimic certain food ingredients such as seafood (Francezon et al, 2021). For example, the microalgae R. salina has the potential ability to act as flavoring agent in plant-based seafood because of its crab aroma, while Tetraselmis chui and Phaeodactylum tricornutum have strong seafood odor and a taste characterized by high umami and crab/shellfish flavor, which can be used to disguise flavor of animalbased seafood products (Coleman et al, 2022).…”

Sensory descriptors for three edible Chilean seaweeds and their relations to umami components and instrumental texture

“…In addition, this seaweed contains a great diversity and abundance of halogenated compounds that contribute with marine and shell sh aromas (Francezon et al 2021). Finally, D. antarctica is a seaweed characterized by a caramelized marine aroma.…”

Green Extraction of Carrageenans from Mastocarpus stellatus

“…Polymers from macroalgae have a great potential in different fields, including pharmaceutical, food or cosmeceutical fields [1][2][3][4][5]. The classification is based on the pigmentation, but also other compounds such as polysaccharides are found in the cell wall of seaweed.…”