Descrizione del progetto
Produzione di integratori a base di microalghe a prezzi accessibili
Gli acidi grassi omega-3 e gli antiossidanti come l’astaxantina costituiscono una preziosa integrazione all’alimentazione umana che apporta potenziali benefici quali la salute cardiovascolare, visiva e cognitiva. Tuttavia, entrambi sono prodotti da vari pesci o microalghe marine attraverso un processo costoso e dannoso per l’ambiente. Finanziato dal Consiglio europeo della ricerca, il progetto ASTAOMEGA intende sviluppare un sistema innovativo per la produzione di questi componenti, basato sulla specie di microalga marina a rapida crescita Nannochloropsis gaditana. Il sistema proposto sarà a basso costo e offrirà un’elevata produttività senza alcun impatto sull’ambiente. Inoltre, si prevede che influirà positivamente sull’industria europea delle microalghe e sul mercato dei prodotti nutraceutici.
Obiettivo
This project aims at developing an innovative and commercially competitive production platform for high value products as Astaxanthin and Omega-3, to be used for human nutrition or aquaculture.
Astaxanthin is a pigment primary produced by microalgae: this carotenoid has a strong antioxidant power and it is used in different fields as healthcare, food/feed supplementation and as pigmenting agent in aquaculture. However, cultivation of the main microalgae species producing Astaxanthin is costly due to low biomass productivity or low Astaxanthin content, causing an extremely high price of this molecule on the market.
Marine microalgae are also the primary producers of Omega-3, very long chain fatty acids, essential components of high quality diets for humans, being related to cardiovascular wellness, and proper visual and cognitive development. However, due to the high cost of microalgae cultivation, the market of Omega-3 is mostly based on fish or krill oils, with high costs and environment impacts associated.
New sources of Astaxanthin and Omega-3 must thus be implemented: based on the results obtained in ERC-Stg-SOLENALGAE, an innovative, low cost and high productive strategy can be proposed for simultaneous Astaxanthin and Omega-3 production in the robust and fast growing marine microalgae species Nannochloropsis gaditana.
The main objectives of the ASTAOMEGA project will be:
1. To validate to a demonstration stage the ASTAOMEGA system
2. The assessment of the market size and market requirements, through extensive market analysis
3. The identification of the best suitable commercial route to be undertaken to take the ASTAOMEGA system to the market, as inception of a spin-off company and/or the licensing agreements on the IPR exploitation with the interested end-users (see LOIs).
The ASTAOMEGA team is confident that the outcomes of this project are poised to exert a beneficial impact on the European microalgae industry and nutraceuticals market
Campo scientifico
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesmarine biology
- agricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesfisheries
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculeslipids
- social scienceseconomics and businesseconomicsproduction economicsproductivity
- medical and health scienceshealth sciencesnutrition
Programma(i)
Argomento(i)
Meccanismo di finanziamento
ERC-POC - Proof of Concept GrantIstituzione ospitante
37129 Verona
Italia