title: From Current Algae Products to Future Biorefinery Practices: A Review.
abstract: Microalgae are considered to be one of the most promising next generation bio-based/food feedstocks with a unique lipid composition, high protein content, and an almost unlimited amount of other bio-active molecules. High-value components such as the soluble proteins, (poly) unsaturated fatty acids, pigments, and carbohydrates can be used as an important ingredient for several markets, such as the food/feed/chemical/cosmetics and health industries. Although cultivation costs have decreased significantly in the last few decades, large microalgae production processes become economically viable if all complex compounds are optimally valorized in their functional state. To isolate these functional compounds from the biomass, cost-effective, mild, and energy-efficient biorefinery techniques need to be developed and applied. In this review we describe current microalgae biorefinery strategies and the derived products, followed by new technological developments and an outlook toward future products and the biorefinery philosophy.
authors.affiliation: Bioprocess Engineering, AlgaePARC, Wageningen University, PO Box. 16, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands. michel.eppink@wur.nl.
authors.forename: Michel H M
authors.initials: MHM
authors.lastname: Eppink
authors.affiliation: Bioprocess Engineering, AlgaePARC, Wageningen University, PO Box. 16, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Olivieri
authors.affiliation: Bioprocess Engineering, AlgaePARC, Wageningen University, PO Box. 16, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Reith
authors.affiliation: Bioprocess Engineering, AlgaePARC, Wageningen University, PO Box. 16, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Corjan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: van den Berg
authors.affiliation: Bioprocess Engineering, AlgaePARC, Wageningen University, PO Box. 16, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Maria J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Barbosa
authors.affiliation: Bioprocess Engineering, AlgaePARC, Wageningen University, PO Box. 16, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands.|University of Nordland, 8049, Bodø, Norway.
authors.forename: Rene H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Wijffels
mesh_terms: D056804:Biofuels / Q000592:standards; D018533:Biomass; D007221:Industry / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D058086:Microalgae / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D056804:Biofuels
keywords: Biorefinery; Cell disruption; Cell wall composition; Cellular structure; Extraction; Fractionation; Harvesting; Microalgae