Fucoxanthin production from microalgae Isochrysis galbana - a solution to solve the global obesity

Objective

Obesity has already reached epidemic proportions. In 2016 more than 1.9 billion adults worldwide were overweight, thereof 650 million obese. In Europe alone weight problems and obesity are increasing at a rapid rate with over 50% of EU's population overweight in 2014. Alone, adult obesity takes up roughly 7% of national healthcare expenditure of individual countries and is estimated to cost the EU 70 billion euros annually through healthcare costs and lost productivity. Current solutions are not working. This is where Algalif's revolutionary solution - a commercial fucoxanthin production from the microalgae Isochrysis galbana - comes into play. Through current product of astaxanthin, Algalíf Iceland has developed a niche in the global microalgae arena in optimizing cultivation parameters. The in-house designed photo-bio-reactor (PBR) cultivation system, with full contamination control and no supply disruptions, ensures optimal growth of the microalgae. Currently, it delivers the highest industry reported yield of a pure product (7%). This sustainable production method will be adapted to the production of fucoxanthin - a natural antioxidant with unique qualities to modulate specific gene and protein expression which in turn can prevent fat accumulation. The unique qualities of the compound are known but current methods of harvesting fucoxanthin from brown seaweed (macroalgae) hinder market growth due to; 1) concentration of fucoxanthin is significantly lower than in microalgae; 2) harvesting is time-consuming and seasonal; 3) seaweed is foodstuff in many parts of the world; 4) it is not sustainable due to climate change. Algalíf's production has high concentration of fucoxanthin, it is sustainable, cost-effective and easily scalable to meet increasing market needs. If successfully brought to market, it will be the first commercially available fucoxanthin product from Isochrysis microalgae.

Field of science

• /social sciences/economics and business/economics/sustainable economy
• /social sciences/economics and business/business and management/commerce

Programme(s)

• H2020-EU.3. - PRIORITY 'Societal challenges
• H2020-EU.2.3. - INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Innovation In SMEs
• H2020-EU.2.1. - INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies

Topic(s)

• EIC-SMEInst-2018-2020 - SME instrument

Call for proposal

H2020-SMEInst-2018-2020-1
See other projects for this call

Funding Scheme

Coordinator