Microalgae as dietary supplements in tablets, capsules, and powder

The international food crisis and the global sustainability trend promote scientists to investigate nontraditional, renewable food alternatives, dietary supplements, relying on arid lands for agriculture and salty seawater to cultivate alternative sources of non-conventional biomass rich in protein, carbohydrates, unsaturated long-chain fatty acids, vitamins, and pigments; the attention has turned toward microalgae as a promising solution to this strategic problem. According to the Food and Drug Administration, microalgae are classified into two main categories no toxin known and generally recognized as safe and falls under these categories many unique algae such as Arthrospira platensis, Chlorella vulgaris, Nannochloropsis sp., Dunaliella salina, Haematococcus pluvialis, Isochrysis galbana, and Porphyridium cruentrum and most of these microalgae are available in the markets as dietary supplements in the form of tablets, capsules, and powder. In this chapter, the essential microalgae used as nutritional supplements will be reviewed to highlight the possible constraints due to poor production quality, safety considerations, and algal toxins that may be present in the final product.