Unilever has formed a partnership with biotech startup Algenuity to research the use of microalgae as a sustainable source of food, specifically protein.

“Microalgae offer much untapped potential as a viable, climate-friendly protein alternative,” says Alejandro Amezquita, future bio-based ingredients R&D director of Unilever Foods & Refreshment. “They have a significant part to play in food system transformation.”

Packed full of protein, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, algae as a source of sustainable nutrition is nothing new. Microalgae like Chlorella and Spirulina have been widely available for years as a health supplement and also – thanks to their vibrant pigments – as colorful additions to food. But they havent caught on as a food source, principally because of their bitter taste and smell.

Algenuity has found a way to overcome this. Its "Chlorella vulgaris" microalgae are different, Unilever explains. The biotech start-up has succeeded in developing a technology that removes the unpalatable taste without reducing any of the microalgae’s valuable nutritional content.

Unilever says the resulting ingredients have a more neutral taste and smell and also exhibit emulsifying and enriching properties similar to those of traditional ingredients such as eggs, which means they can be used in a wealth of foods including mayonnaise, soups, sauces, meat alternatives, baked goods and pasta ... which makes microalgae particularly relevant for Unilever brands like Hellmann’s, Knorr and the Vegetarian Butcher.

Some of the collaboration apparently will go on at Unilevers foods innovation center at the Wageningen University campus -- also known as the Hive -- in the Netherlands. "The centre is at the heart of innovative research aimed at formulating the next generation of meat and dairy alternatives, including microalgae," said the company.

"By 2050, there will be 10 billion people on the planet. It is estimated they will need 70% more food than is currently produced," added Unilever. "Changing the world’s food systems is no longer a choice, it is an imperative."