Deodorization of algae biomass to overcome off-flavors and odor issues for developing new food products: Innovations, trends, and applications

Abstract

The global demand for algae-derived products is following consumer preferences for healthy, nutritious, and vegan products. However, some unpleasant odors, such as fishy and earthy/muddy, have restricted algae processing in foodstuff. Thus, strategies and alternatives are necessary to avoid off-flavors and odors. Deodorization is an important step in removing off-flavor substances from algal biomass used as foods and ingredients, such as volatile compounds and free fatty acids. These substances are attenuated when thermal processes are used in biorefining. In the first step of this review, we address how these substances occur and affect the quality of algae and algal by-products. Then, strategies to avoid odor and off-flavor formation through deodorization technologies are discussed. Finally, the patent landscape from the last five years was researched and studied, indicating recent technologies to preserve product quality. Deodorization is a potential alternative for removing undesirable substances from algae-derived food products. The patent landscape showed 381 technologies around the world mainly focused on physicochemical and bioprocessing methods. This approach shows that the newest deodorization strategies developed by biotechnology companies seek a balance between thermal and chemical processes, maintaining algae's quality and nutritional properties, which can be affected by regular processes. Deodorization remains a challenging step for the development of new food products

Keywords

• Deodorization
• Algae
• Odor issues
• Off-flavors
• Volatile compounds
• Free fatty acids