Imagine a factory that makes seaweed jelly but throws away 70% to 85% of the algae it uses. This project finds a way to stop that waste by using water-based cleaning and extraction to pull out proteins and nutrients from the leftovers. It's like turning the scraps from a kitchen into gourmet meals and skincare products.
Algae industries currently waste between 70% and 95% of their biomass, losing significant potential revenue and creating environmental waste.
Three pilot-scale biorefinery schemes and 12 demonstrator products for the food, feed, and cosmetic sectors.
If you are a vegan food manufacturer dealing with a lack of high-quality protein sources — this project developed texturized vegan food ingredients that improve product structure and nutrition using algae waste.
If you are a feed producer dealing with expensive raw material costs — this project developed protein-rich feeds derived from industrial algae streams to lower costs and increase sustainability.
If you are a skincare brand dealing with the need for natural, bioactive ingredients — this project developed topical cosmetic formulations using bioactive molecules extracted from algae residuals.
The project has demonstrated three blue biorefinery schemes up-scaled to process hundreds of kilograms of algae waste streams.
By transforming waste streams that currently make up to 95% of initial biomass into value-added ingredients, the project aims to make algae industries more economically viable.
Based on available project data, specific licensing terms are not listed, but the project involves 15 industry partners and 11 SMEs to validate market readiness.
The project specifically connects industry partners with RTOs to validate regulatory compliance and health-promoting claims.
The project runs until 2026-09-30, with two final products currently being qualified for market and consumer acceptance.
The consortium is heavily industry-driven, with 15 industrial partners (65% of the total) and 11 SMEs across 11 countries. This high ratio of commercial entities compared to only 3 universities and 2 research organizations suggests a strong focus on commercial viability and market integration rather than pure academic research.
Contact Chalmers Tekniska Hogskola AB in Sweden
Contact us to connect with the CIRCALGAE consortium for algae-based ingredient sourcing.
