Transforming the Baltic and North Seas with algae-based solutions

AlgaeProBANOS, an alliance of businesses, non-governmental organizations, and research organizations, is investing in algae for the future. They are supporting eight algae-based products in the Baltic and North Seas (BANOS).

With support from the European Union (EU), AlgaeProBANOS is working to bring algae, ecology, and business experts together through the coordination of the SUBMARINER Network. The project is exploring the creation and marketing of various products made from algae. Based in Germany, The Network researches and implements solutions to mitigate climate change’s effects on oceans, supporting the EU’s mission to restore oceans and marine ecosystems.

AlgaeProBANOS wants to help businesses sustainably harvest algae, market it, and sell it to populations. To prioritize circular economies, carbon neutrality, and zero waste, the SUBMARINER Network strives to involve European consumers in the development of new algae-based products.

A study from the Aquatic and Crop Resource Development Research Centre suggests that algae is an excellent source of protein and vitamins, including antioxidants, omega-3, and vitamin B, and can be incorporated into and enhance plant-based diets. Algae’s high protein content contributes to its medicinal value. Research from the University of Connecticut reveals that blue-green algae can help treat cardiovascular and fatty liver diseases.

Algae also offer environmental benefits: The organisms can capture carbon dioxide from the environment, acting as a carbon sink, according to the Carbon Capture Science & Technology journal. They also don’t require arable land or freshwater; they grow in abundance on land and by sea.

But a study published by European researchers in the journal Foods, suggests that consumers may need to be exposed to algae-based foods to embrace them fully. It finds that Europeans have a general disinterest and unfamiliarity with algae as food.

AlgaeProBANOS hopes to change this by working with six companies and eight pilot products, including two food products to market algae to the public with a consumer-centric approach. Involving eaters in product development leads to “a better chance of success in the marketplace,” Efthalia Arvaniti, Programme Manager at SUBMARINER Network, tells Food Tank.

One company, Sjy, hopes to sell kelp chips to the public. They are planning to sustainably harvest seaweed from the coast of Kvarøy, a Norwegian island to produce a plant-based seafood alternative to other snack foods.

And OceanBasis considers themselves sea “treasure collectors.” They are growing algae in controlled environments and packaging various seaweeds as food, including seaweed salad, sea spaghetti, and algae flakes. OceanBasis wants to see consumers eat their products as snacks or add them to dishes to enhance the flavor.

These businesses, along with the four other AlgaeProBANOS partners, connect with consumers directly through AlgaeProBANOS’ marketing initiatives. The Feel the Sea Labs and Interactive Algae Journeys are physical and digital platforms, respectively, for consumers to learn more about algae and its benefits.

But before companies can sell their products, farmers must grow and harvest it sustainably, to ensure the longevity of the resource. Arvaniti tells Food Tank that AlgaeProBANOS and the Latvian Institute of Aquatic Technology are studying the amount of wild algae that growers can sustainably harvest.

Algae are currently growing rapidly along the coastlines of the Baltic Region. According to the Stockholm International Water Institute, the Baltic Sea is the most polluted in the world. Filled with nutrient runoff from fertilizers, the waters create the perfect environment for algal blooms. But these blooms consume so much oxygen from the water that marine life struggles to survive, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

That’s why algae innovators, like the Finnish company Origin by Ocean, are working with AlgaeProBANOS to harvest algae from blooms. The algae is then incorporated into consumer products including snack foods, animal feed, and cosmetics.

AlgaeProBANOS is also supporting companies that use reactors to farm algae on land and at sea. A study in Green Chemical Engineering shows that Photo bioreactors can use energy from light to combine carbon dioxide with wastewater. The process recycles resources from the environment and creates microalgae for a variety of products, like food, cosmetics, and fuel. The reactors, Arvaniti says, offer a “continuous and stable supply of algae.”

Although the Alliance is starting with just a handful of companies, they also strive to spread best practices to other algae producers. The Algae Accelerator and the Algae Business Club aims to support algae companies by offering mentorship and networking opportunities, furthering opportunities for sustainable and responsible algae production and consumption.

Algae, one of the fastest-growing crops in the world, offers a “compelling solution,” for feeding the world on a plant-based diet, Arvaniti tells Food Tank. “The incorporation of algae into the food industry is set to offer both economically viable and high-value solutions, addressing the evolving demands of consumers and fostering sustainable practices.”

FoodTank