Section: Technology and Knowledge

Microalgae are an evolving field to produce sustainable nutritious food with low environmental impact. To shape the emerging European value chain in a sustainable way, all the involved actors and processes need to be considered. The Horizon-2020-funded project ProFuture investigates and improves the way microalgae are cultivated, processed and used for food and feed products in Europe.

As one of the 31 project partners from 13 different European countries, ZSI has organised two multi-stakeholder workshops to co-create scenarios on socially responsible and ecologically sound microalgae value chains in Europe. The results of this workshop have been analysed and recently published in the journal Frontiers in Aquaculture. The paper “Actor groups influencing and shaping sustainable microalgae value chains in Europe” describes three distinct yet interdependent groups of actors whose roles needs to be considered for supporting the evolution of sustainable microalgal based food value chains in Europe: (1) microalgae producers and processors, and researchers who work with microalgae and their development, (2) policy makers, and large industrial players, who influence the political and economic possibilities of the microalgae value chain and (3) consumers and civil society actors, who play a key role in order to root sustainable microalgae food products in the market. Strengthened collaboration between these groups is necessary for rendering microalgae-based food products sustainable and relevant alternatives.

Schrammel M., Seebacher L.M. & Feichtinger J. (2023) Actor groups influencing and shaping sustainable microalgae value chains in Europe. In: Frontiers in Aquaculture, 2:1186325. https://doi.org/10.3389/faquc.2023.1186325.

Authors: Feichtinger, J., Schrammel, M., Seebacher, L.

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Tags: microalgae, ProFuture