Transforming microalgae into a functional textured protein

Microalgae is one of the most nutritious food sources on our planet. It can be cultivated at large scale with low environmental impact and is already approved for human consumption. To date, however, formulators and manufacturers have struggled to fully exploit the potential of this incredible resource.

“The public overall has a positive image of microalgae due to the use of spirulina and chlorella as dietary supplements,” noted Hugo Valentin, CEO of Edonia. “This presents a fantastic opportunity to build a more sustainable food system. So, why isn’t microalgae more present on our plates? Why isn’t it yet a cornerstone of our protein transition?”

For Valentin, a key reason is the consumer experience.

“No one wants to eat green powders with a strong taste,” he said. “So, we at Edonia decided to innovate to address this problem.

“We created ‘Edonisation’, a patent-pending technology that transforms microalgae into a delicious textured ingredient for consumers, and one that is easy to work with for the food industry.”

Valentin described Edonisation as the company’s “secret weapon” – its “confidential” black box.

“This clean and natural process does not rely on fermentation or extrusion,” he said. “It is a unique method that leverages the specific properties of microalgae, such as the gelling properties of certain molecules, the presence of aromatic precursors, and the capacity of pigments to evolve.”

The process was invented in collaboration with AgroParisTech laboratories’ SayFood Joint Research Unit.

Microalgae taste, texture, and colour transformed

Transforming the taste, texture, and colour of microalgae without extraction, extrusion, and additives was an immense scientific challenge. To achieve this, Edonia collaborated with scientists to master the reactions that are now at the heart of the Edonisation process.

“Today, a team of about ten researchers and engineers continues to work internally to scale this process to industrial levels,” added Valentin.

The process works like this. First, biomass is collected from cultivation partners and standardised. The Edonisation process is then applied to generate texture, reveal aromatics, and change the colour of microalgae from green to black. Stabilisation and packaging are then carried out before the ingredient is frozen, delivered, and ready to eat.

“The end result is Edo, a microalgae crumble with excellent texture,” said Valentin. “The product contains 30% protein – more than soy and even beef – as well as a lot of iron and other micronutrients.

“It has a natural smoky, grilled, umami taste, and a soft, fluffy grain texture, achieved without extraction or extrusion. What’s more, the environmental impact is 12 times lower than beef, and three times lower than soy mince.”

Pioneering the 'foodification' of nutraceuticals

Edonia plans to target manufacturers, who can use the ingredient as a beef replacement in various preparations such as Bolognese sauce, lasagna, and chilli. The aim is to have the product on the market by the end of the year. Significant funding has been secured to scale up the Edonisation process.

“For the first time, we have a plant-based recipe that can nutritionally outperform the animal version, with a similar consumer experience and with a much lower environmental impact,” said Valentin. “We are already delivering dozens of kilograms of Edo to beta-testing customers and are negotiating commercial partnerships.”

For their innovative approach, Edonia was recognised as the Most Innovative Nutraceutical Ingredient at this year’s Vitafoods Startup Innovation Challenge. The award, said Valentin, has provided the business with credibility and legitimacy, and helped to raise awareness of the potential of microalgae in this sector.

“We are obviously very proud to win this award just one year after our creation,” he said. “We wanted to check if our vision was aligned with industry. We felt there is a 'foodification' of nutraceuticals happening, and by winning the award for 'Best Nutraceutical Ingredient' with a 'food' ingredient, we successfully demonstrated this.”