Turning algae into food powder

Shaozong

I was a Marie Skłodowska-Curie postdoctoral fellow at AgroParisTech in joint research unit SayFood from June 2023 to June 2025. For over 10 years, since my PhD studies, I have been working in the research field of food powder. Food powder range from dairy preparations and powdered seasonings to powdered plant proteins, etc. I endeavored to improve the drying process of powder aiming for powder quality with a reduced carbon footprint.

Christelle

I am a Professor of Process engineering at the University Paris-Saclay. Within the joint research unit SayFood, I have been working for many years on powder production and transformation processes, as well as on the development of methods for characterizing food powder properties. The aim is to produce powders with controlled properties, under the best conditions. I have had the opportunity to be involved in different Marie Curie research training networks in the past so this postdoctoral fellowship was a good opportunity to continue working with international researchers and on the topics of environmentally friendly powder production and use of alternative proteins and algae that I wanted to explore in the case of spray-drying. This is why I decided to apply for this postdoctoral fellowship with Shaozong.

Shaozong

AlgaPow project aims to find a more environmentally friendly alternative solution to meet food needs. Proteins are vital components for the human beings’ diet. The growing demand for animal protein, combined with slow population growth, could lead to a conflict between arable land and environmental protection. In addition to animal protein, algae and plant proteins are promising alternatives, as they help reduce greenhouse gas. Therefore, our primary goals are to develop an algae-derived milk substitute formula and to engineer the powder structure to maximize desirable algae properties, minimizing energy usage in the process.

Christelle

The use of alternative plant protein is a hot topic in the joint research unit SayFood. We wanted to combine our interest in the powder production process, specifically spray-drying, with the use of alternative protein into the production of food powders. More specifically, we wanted to study how spray-drying can be applied to the drying of algae biomass and how we can obtain powders with good functional properties, taking into account both the formulation and the process and how to manage these two aspects to get efficient powders. It was also a way to initiate a work with algae for this specific application. We have colleagues also working on algae in the research team, but not for the production of sprayed-dried products.

Shaozong

When I completed my PhD five years ago in Ireland, I wanted to further explore my research potential and ability through a postdoctoral career. Besides, I find Paris to be a very charming city, which is the heart of science and art in Europe. I believe I can find inspiration for my research in Paris where new scientific ideas are encouraged.  Regarding advantages for this European program application, my PhD experience in Ireland familiarized me with European research culture. For example, European academics prioritize meticulous attention to detail — a hallmark of high-quality research. This positions me to integrate effectively into the French research ecosystem. In addition, I consider myself to be an active researcher who could use some innovative ways to solve problems. Furthermore, as an international researcher I also value the opportunity to experience and learn from the rich cultural heritage of France, while bringing with me a strong foundation in Chinese culture.

Christelle

In the joint research unit, we are used to welcoming international students. For me, it was a good opportunity to extend these experiences to another nationality and to discover a new culture, a new way of thinking through my interactions with Shaozong. It is also a possibility to establish new connections with universities in China, as we plan to continue our collaboration and exchange students through various programs. This collaboration created a strong foundation for mutual learning and the exchange of best practices, particularly in the field of powder research. Shaozong brought valuable experience to the project, and together we explored different experimental approaches and methodologies. Working jointly, we developed techniques to study product behavior during rehydration and digestion and implemented specific methodologies in our lab. Shaozong also get the opportunity to meet other young researchers working on other projects dealing with algae or using interesting techniques for the characterization of our products. Overall, I believe it was a successful project that encouraged knowledge sharing and fostered new scientific insights for both of us.

Shaozong

I was a young researcher at the very beginning of the AlgaPow project, so we had to devote a lot of time to acquiring knowledge in the field of algae. But we have already achieved some interesting results. For example, the spray-drying process allows us to modify the aroma of algae powder which reduces the fishy smell of algae. Thanks to this project, I have attended some international conferences, for instance IDS (23rd International Drying Symposium) in China and Green Food Technology in Saint-Malo. During these conferences, we met other researchers working on related topics, which helped us expand our research network. Upon my return to China, I discovered that there were several international cooperation projects between France and China. I am trying to cooperate with Christelle and other researchers from AgroParisTech within the framework of these projects. I hope that in the near future, we could welcome French students or researchers from AgroParisTech and that Chinese students or researchers could go to AgroParisTech or an exchange of knowledge and cultures.

Christelle

During the project, we wrote a review paper on the use of algae biomass for food production and various food applications. I think writing this paper in this specific field, which is currently generating great interest, is a good opportunity for Shaozong as it shows the broad view of his research area. Let’s hope this paper will pave the route for next researchers’ works in this field. During the project, we also participated in the “Fête de la Science” and I think it was a good opportunity to show secondary school students the importance of algae in our diet, but also to introduce them to another aspect of research, showing them its impact on daily life with, in our case, the development of new foods. I hope collaboration between our two labs and our two countries will continue.

Shaozong

In the future, I will continue working in the field of algae food processing. Recently, Christelle and I have submitted a research paper on the use of red algae in meat to improve the protein and nutritional profile of meat gel. Algae have a great potential to be explored in the food industry. I think I will continue my research on spray-drying, where I will try to improve the precision and environmental friendliness of spray-drying to reduce energy consumption.

Christelle

I will definitely continue with this project on the production of algae-based powders, as we have seen the potential of using algae biomass as a drying support for the production of powders containing active ingredients. And of course, the Marie Skłodowska-Curie postdoctoral fellowship experience has been very positive. I think it is a great opportunity for researchers to initiate and develop a research project on new topics. It is also a good opportunity to work with talented young researchers and to internationalize our research. I can only recommend to my colleagues to embark on the adventure of Marie Skłodowska-Curie postdoctoral fellowship!