The United States Department of Energy has tasked the University of Toledo (UT) with finding a faster, cleaner process to produce fuel. UT was awarded nearly $2.4 million in federal grants to develop a way to turn algae into fuel without adding carbon dioxide. More

Gen3Bio transforms waste algae into an ongoing revenue stream using enzymolysis technology licensed from The University of Toledo in Ohio. Since October 2016, the company has been headquartered at the Kurz Purdue Technical Center at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., where it also is a client of the Purdue Foundry. Seeking ways to maximize […]

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) selected an additional four Productivity Enhanced Algae and Toolkits (PEAK) projects to receive up to $8.8 million.  The projects aim to develop high-impact tools and techniques that will increase the productivity of algae organisms to reduce the costs of producing algal biofuels and bioproducts.  In total, DOE has awarded over […]

French microalgae company Fermentalg has signed an agreement with food colourings company, DIC  to target the fast-growing market for natural alternatives to artificial food colourings. The partnership will bring together Fermentalg’s microalgae strain bank and its integrated biotechnology platform with DIC’s applied research, industrial and commercial resources.  DIC and Fermentalg have also signed a three-year joint development […]

Algatech (Algatechnologies) Ltd. has announced  that its 100% organic Haematococcus pluvialis microalgae powder and astaxanthin oleoresin has been granted non-GMO verification by the Non-GMO Project Inc. Algatech is the first and only  astaxanthin manufacturer to have achieved this extraordinary verification. Consumers are actively seeking non-GMO products, so having the Non-GMO Project verify their line in accordance with its strict standards […]

The University of Southern Mississippi will conduct research on the use of seaweed to produce energy and improve ocean health with a total of $1 million in federal grants. USM received $500,000 for research on a seaweed growth system, and another $500,000 to develop a Sargassum seaweed ranching paddock. More

An initiative has received funding for research and development to address disease and pest infestations threatening the global seaweed industry, especially in developing countries. The outbreaks are causing dramatic 15 per cent yield declines, particularly in three major seaweed-producing countries of Tanzania, Philippines and Indonesia, resulting in catastrophic socio-economic impacts on communities, according to the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS). […]

Ocean Wise has given approval for two species of seaweed: giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) and bull kelp (Nereocystis leutkeana), both of which are farmed along the B.C. coast. These two species of kelp can be found in everything from sushi to brownies, and they’re likely to see more of it as production continues to rise at their local […]

Researchers from UCLA and the University of Tokyo have demonstrated a new capability to sort microalgae cells by their shape, creating a baseline of uniform cells for a large range of research, industrial and clinical applications. While traditional separation methods are based on porous filters or sedimentation in which cells settle due to gravity, this […]

Solix Algredients has extended its natural astaxanthin quality challenge to help dietary supplement and nutrition product supply chain professionals make fact-based decisions. The “Solasta® Astaxanthin USP Challenge” provides finished goods product manufacturers with a science-based, objective standard for reliability and confidence, which also benefits consumer end-users. That’s because Solasta® natural astaxanthin conforms to the stringent United […]

Young Danish firm Aliga is seeking cooperation with the major fish feed players to use its microalgae-derived products in aquafeed formulations. One big problem for feed manufacturers when it comes to microalgae-derived ingredients is finding steady and reliable supply of sufficient volumes. With their technology, they believe that sufficient volumes could be provided owing to continuous production of biomass […]

Scientists have successfully engineered algae that when starved for nitrogen, put most of their stored energy, into fats. These fats are chemically similar to hydrocarbons and are thus further processed into “biofuel”. However, this processing of fats into biofuel is not a straightforward process. Interestingly, researchers from France also found the solution to the problem from […]

IKEA’s external future-living lab — has erected the ‘algae dome’, a four-meter-high pavilion capable of growing what could be ‘the supercrop of the future’. Designed by architects, the food-producing structure houses a photo-bioreactor, a closed system that enables the high productivity of microalgae, microscopic algae that are typically found in freshwater and marine systems. It is imagined that in the future, different […]

SBM Company has announced a partnership agreement with Italy-based Valagro, for the sales and marketing of the Valagro gardening product brands in Europe and the US. When the deal comes into force, French-headquartered SBM Life Science, a former Bayer Garden company, will be responsible for the sales, marketing and distribution of the MaxiCrop brand and its […]

An estimated 6,000-14,000 tons of sunscreen are deposited into coral reef areas of the sea every year. The chemicals we rub onto our skin might help prevent skin cancer but we’re only just beginning to understand the environmental impact of sunscreen – and the initial assessments are not looking good. But early stage research suggests that nature […]

The Algae Factory produces chocolate with spirulina, a cyanobacteria with a high content of protein, vitamins, Omega 3 and 6, and essential amino acids. Spirulina has been nominated by FAO “as a powerful tool to fight malnutrition” due to its complete nutritional profile. The company produces and sells chocolate bars with spirulina flakes inside them. They […]

Despite the promise algae has shown as a source of food, feed and fertilizers, technology to cultivate this group of relatively simple, plant-like organisms, to commercial levels remains off the pace. Low volume and high production costs of algae appear to restrict it to high value industries such as supplement and nutraceutical sector. With the […]

A green microalgae rich in protein, iron, vitamins and antioxidants is set to become more affordable thanks to a French start-up team. Shown to be effective in fighting malnutrition and preventing cardiovascular disease, spirulina usage has been limited due to its high production cost. However, the Spiris start-up from Université Paris-Saclay claimed to have developed […]