Recent advances in the application of microalgae and its derivatives for preservation, quality improvement, and shelf-life extension of seafood

Abstract

Seafood is a highly perishable food product due to microbiological, chemical, and enzymatic reactions, which are the principal causes of their rapid quality deterioration. Therefore, ever-increasing consumers' demand for high-quality seafood along with a negative perception of synthetic preservatives creates opportunities for natural preservatives such as microalgae extracts. They are potential alternatives to reduce microbial growth, increase oxidative stability, and protect the sensorial properties of seafood. Research has shown that the inclusion of microalgae extracts into the aquatic animal's diet could enhance their meat quality and increase production. This review focuses on the direct application of various microalgae extracts as seafood preservative, and their functional properties in seafood, such as antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Besides, the potential nutritional application of microalgae extracts as an alternative in aqua-feed and their impact on seafood quality (indirect application) are also presented. The safety aspects and regulatory issues of products from microalgae are highlighted.

Keywords:

• Seafood
• microalgae extracts
• aqua-feed
• antimicrobials
• antioxidants
• regulatory issues

Disclosure statement

The authors declare they have no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by National Key R&D Program of China (2018YFD0901001). Thanks to the China Scholarship Council (CSC) for the Ph.D program.