Algae oil instead of palm oil? It will be healthier and ecological

Palm oil from time to time returns to the spotlight when there are complaints about its presence among the ingredients of a given product or the damage caused to the environment by the cultivation of palm trees associated with it. That is why the world can accept algae oil instead of palm oil with open arms.

Scientists have figured out a way to make us start using algae oil instead of palm oil

Scientists at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and the University of Malay in Malaysia have found a way to replace palm oil by using a species of algae called Chromochloris zofingiensis. To do this, they added pyruvic acid to a solution consisting of these algae and a liquid growth medium.

They then exposed the mixture to ultraviolet light to stimulate photosynthesis. After 14 days, the algae were removed, washed, dried and then treated with methanol, which dissolved the bonds between the algae proteins and the oils produced by these proteins through photosynthesis.

The result is algae oil, which has properties similar to palm oil, but contains significantly less saturated fatty acids and more heart-healthy polyunsaturated fatty acids. In the current version of this technology, 160 grams of algae are needed to produce enough oil to produce a 100-gram bar of chocolate.

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However, the production itself can have many advantages for companies that would engage in this type of production, because as it grows, the algae would convert atmospheric carbon dioxide into biomass that could be resold. You can read more about it in the publication Journal of Applied Phycology.