Infant food produced by algae
For a long time, cod liver oil was given to children as a folk remedy for prevention or treatment of many diseases. Today it is used as a food supplement due to the fact that it contains large amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). These chemical organic elements are essential for the growth of various tissues in the human body. For example, one of the PUFAs, the docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) can be found in large amounts in the grey matter of the human brain and in the retina of the eye. Although the most known sources of PUFAs are the oil of cold-water marine fish and egg yolk, oil rich in PUFAs is also produced by algae. This source had remained unexploited for two main reasons. Firstly, the algae cannot be eaten by humans and secondly, it was not yet clear whether its production would be profitable for commercial purposes. The PUFATECH project focused on production of PUFAs containing oil made from algae and proved that it can be produced on a commercial basis. Broad research was conducted in order to investigate the factors that influence the cultivation procedure as well as to determine optimal fermentation, harvest and oil-processing conditions. Finally, a cost/benefit analysis revealed that PUFA rich oil production is profitable. It is estimated that 100 to 500 tonnes of DHA are needed by the infant food and pharmaceutical industry per year in order to produce products, which benefit the proper development of the brain and vision in infants, as well as help in the prevention of arteriosclerosis.
