Tasting the Future of Healthy Foods Made with Algae
What if foods like pesto, chocolate, butter, and gummy bears could help support gut health and reduce inflammation by adding natural sustainable ingredients from seaweed and microalgae?
That is exactly what we explored in the Algae4IBD project. Scientists from across Europe and Israel investigated natural compounds found in seaweed and microalgae species that may help reduce inflammation, relieve pain, and support gut health. These bioactive compounds could one day support the prevention and treatment of conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
But identifying healthy ingredients from algae was only the beginning. We also developed food products including these ingredients to promote health by enriching everyday foods with natural extracts from seaweed and microalgae: Vegan brownies, fairy cakes, savoury cookies, butter, pesto, gummie bears, chocolates, vegan spreads.
Putting our food products to the taste test
Developing a healthy food ingredient is only half the battle. It must also taste good so people enjoy eating them. To figure out how the food products resonate with consumers, we used sensory science, which helps understand and assess how people react to new foods and if the food products are ready for the real-world market.
We conducted an expert tasting session. In highly controlled sensory booths at the Teagasc Food Research Center in Dublin, 40 individuals tasted and evaluated our food products. These booths use specialised lighting and are soundproof to ensure the tasters focus purely on the food’s technical qualities without outside distractions.
In addition, we organised tasting sessions at public events involving between 40 to 60 people. These sessions relied on “self-reported” sensory ability, meaning they captured the opinions of everyday consumers.
Taste testing trials at controlled sensory
booth (top) and public events (bottom).
Approaching the tasting scientifically
To keep the results fair and scientific, we followed a strict process.
The participants were asked drink water between each food product, and to try discriminate between the products that included extracts from algae and the control product that included no extracts. This helped us determine if they could tell the difference between the conventional and the novel product. Using a ranking scale, ranging from unacceptable (0) to very acceptable (7), participants rated the following qualities:
- Appearance: How does the food look?
- Texture: What is the mouthfeel?
- Aroma: How does it smell?
- Flavor/Taste: Is the taste enjoyable?
- Overall liking: Would you choose this product?
To avoid bias, participants did not see pictures of the food nor a list of ingredients beforehand.
Print version of the evaluation
sheet for taste testing trials.
Which food products were a hit?
The results were very encouraging, showing that foods containing between 1 to 4 percent algae extracts were generally well accepted by consumers.
Both pesto and butter were highly rated. In comments submitted in the feedback form, tasters noted that certain extracts actually enhanced the buttery aroma.
Microalgae-enriched chocolates were well-received, too, especially those with a hint of chili.
Interestingly, encapsulated extracts developed by the Slovak University of Agriculture and Algaia made the gummy bears more popular with tasters than those containing direct algal extracts. This means that encapsulation can help soften or mask the characteristic taste and aroma of algal extracts, while preserving their potential functional value. In practical terms, encapsulation may be an important formulation strategy for making algae-based healthy foods more appealing to consumers, especially in sweet products where flavour, texture, and overall liking are critical.
Pesto, butter, chilli chocolates and gummie bears containing algae extracts developed in Algae4IBD.
The take-away
This research and developed food products demonstrate that seaweed and microalgae are a promising, natural resource for creating the next generation of healthy food. They expand our options to reduce inflammation and support gut health. By successfully blending algae extracts into everyday food products like pesto, butter, and snacks, the Algae4IBD project has shown that we don’t have to choose between healthy nutrition and taste, and paves the way for a future where aquatic resources play a central role in keeping our communities healthy and well-fed while supporting our environment as well.
A more detailed article about the developed food products and the results of the taste testing trials is available for free.
This blog article and the respective deliverable provide an overview summary of the food products developed by Teagasc, Algaia and the Slovak University of Agriculture, which contain extracts identified as having anti-inflammatory, anti-pain, and other health benefits, including prebiotic activity, by Algae4IBD partners in Work Packages 1, 2, and 3. These products were also evaluated by taste panels and potential consumers.