KAUST Scientists Convert Food Waste into Sustainable Ingredients Using Algae
Researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) have discovered something new about a very old organism and used it to convert waste from a chocolate factory into C-phycocyanin, a valuable blue pigment projected to reach a global market value of over $275 million by 2030.
According to a recent KAUST press release, the study, published in Trends in Biotechnology, outlines how Galdieria yellowstonesis, an ancient strain of red algae, can consume the sugars found in chocolate-processing waste to grow into a protein-rich biomass containing C-phycocyanin, which is used in food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical products. Adding to the findings was the unexpected discovery that high levels of carbon dioxide promote Galdieria growth. Normally, carbon dioxide is a waste produced by microbes eating sugar.
KAUST Associate Professor and lead author of the study Kyle Lauersen stated: “Our work studying the metabolism of algae is uncovering new ways to turn waste into valuable products sustainably. Chocolate production, for example, generates waste when process lines start and stop. We realized this waste could be a useful food for Galdieria.”
The release highlighted that phycocyanin from Galdieria, of which C-phycocyanin is one type, was recently deemed food-safe by the U.S. FDA and is suitable for beverages and other food applications. However, compared to conventional methods for phycocyanin, which use cyanobacteria, the KAUST method using Galdieria can significantly reduce costs and increase yields because the hot and highly acidic environment in which Galdieria thrive can reduce the presence of other microbes.
For their experiments, Lauersen and his research team collected waste from a chocolate factory in Saudi Arabia. The researchers plan to further develop their process by assessing the scalability and technical capacity of Galdieria production processes on locally available wastes, helping more businesses in Saudi Arabia make the critical shift towards a circular carbon economy.
