{"id":2824,"date":"2025-11-10T08:24:21","date_gmt":"2025-11-10T08:24:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/impress-he.eu\/?p=2824"},"modified":"2025-11-10T08:24:22","modified_gmt":"2025-11-10T08:24:22","slug":"from-ocean-to-table-turning-low-trophic-fish-and-algae-into-nutritious-spreadable-foods","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/impress-he.eu\/nn\/2025\/11\/10\/from-ocean-to-table-turning-low-trophic-fish-and-algae-into-nutritious-spreadable-foods\/","title":{"rendered":"From Ocean to Table: Turning Low-Trophic Fish and Algae into Nutritious Spreadable Foods"},"content":{"rendered":"

How can we create foods that are both nutritious and environmentally sustainable? One promising answer lies in the use of low-trophic fish<\/strong>, such as small pelagic and other underused species, and edible algae<\/strong> as innovative ingredients for everyday foods, like spreads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These ingredients combine nutritional richness<\/strong> with resource efficiency<\/strong>, offering a new way to diversify the food supply while easing pressure on heavily targeted fish stocks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Benefits Beneath the Surface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Low-trophic fish and microalgae are naturally rich in high-quality proteins<\/strong> and long-chain omega-3 fatty acids<\/strong>, essential for heart and brain health. Macroalgae, on the other hand, contribute fibre<\/strong>, minerals<\/strong> (including iodine in some brown seaweeds), and a range of bioactive compounds<\/strong> that can support well-being.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By blending these marine ingredients, producers can design spreadable foods that are healthy, affordable, and environmentally responsible<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Concept to Practice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Developing such spreads starts with a classic oil-in-water emulsion<\/strong>, similar to what\u2019s used in mayonnaise or creamy dressings. To make the product more sustainable, part of the fat phase can be replaced with structured oils<\/strong>, improving the fatty-acid profile while maintaining the desired texture and spreadability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To stabilise the emulsion, proteins<\/strong> from dairy, plants, or fish can be used, depending on the recipe. Achieving the right balance of pH, salt, and mixing intensity<\/strong> ensures a smooth and stable consistency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taste and Quality Matter<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A key part of product development lies in flavour design<\/strong>. Moderate sodium levels, combined with acids, herbs, spices, and umami-rich compounds<\/strong> derived from fish and seaweed, create a balanced and pleasant taste. Selecting the right algae species, and carefully managing how much is added, helps to avoid overly \u201cmarine\u201d notes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maintaining high product quality<\/strong> also means keeping oxidation under control, ensuring hygiene during production, and using suitable packaging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Safety and Regulation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

From a regulatory perspective, allergen labelling<\/strong> for fish ingredients is mandatory. For algae, the iodine content<\/strong> must be monitored through careful selection of species and portion sizes. In the EU, some microalgae and processing methods<\/strong> fall under the Novel Food Regulation<\/strong>, while more established ingredients can follow standard food and hygiene rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bringing Innovation to the Market<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To accelerate innovation, producers can start with approved ingredients<\/strong> and technologies compatible with standard mixing and filling equipment<\/strong>. Sensory testing, adjusting saltiness, acidity, and texture, helps fine-tune recipes to consumer preferences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the right formulation, low-trophic fish and algae can move from pilot recipes to market-ready spreadable products<\/strong>, offering a practical example of how blue bioresources can support healthier diets and a more sustainable food system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Original article by Dr Milica Poji\u0107<\/strong>, Principal Research Fellow at the Institute of Food Technology<\/a>, University of Novi Sad, Serbia (FINS). <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by the reframe.food<\/a> team. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photos courtesy of FINS. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Low-trophic fish and edible algae offer an innovative path toward nutritious, affordable, and sustainable food products. By combining these underused marine resources, researchers and food innovators can create spreadable foods rich in protein, omega-3s, and bioactive compounds, bringing healthy blue ingredients from concept to consumer shelves.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2597,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":29,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[32,29,14,99,100],"class_list":["post-2824","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-algae","tag-blogpost","tag-impress","tag-low-trophic-fish","tag-spreads"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/impress-he.eu\/nn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2824","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/impress-he.eu\/nn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/impress-he.eu\/nn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/impress-he.eu\/nn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/impress-he.eu\/nn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2824"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/impress-he.eu\/nn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2824\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2827,"href":"https:\/\/impress-he.eu\/nn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2824\/revisions\/2827"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/impress-he.eu\/nn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2597"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/impress-he.eu\/nn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2824"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/impress-he.eu\/nn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2824"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/impress-he.eu\/nn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2824"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}